Black Plague
by AKAJipster
Summary: Season 1 fic - Rev Bem is acting strangely, and Harper chooses the wrong time to disturb him, an act that will test the strength of the newly formed Andromeda crew. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Rev Attacks

Title: Black Plague  
Author: AKA Jipster  
Archive: Only The Command Deck  
Disclaimer: Don't own Andromeda, I admit it, but if it ever comes up on Ebay I might give it a go.  
Rating: PG-13  
Setting/Season: Season One (After D Minus Zero, before Harper 2.0)  
Spoilers: Anything Early Season 1  
Warnings: Violence, Bad Smells  
Comments/Feedback: Welcomed!  
Summary: Rev Bem is acting strangely, and Harper chooses the wrong time to disturb him, an act that will test the strength of the newly formed Andromeda crew.

Black Plague

By AKA Jipster

Part 1

Beka Valentine seemed troubled as she stood on command, enough that it became distracting to Dylan Hunt, as he glanced over to her once again from his console.

"Is everything ok, Beka?"

Beka showed surprise to his question, and cleared her throat before speaking. "It's nothing," she gestured.

"Beka, I know that I am still getting to know you and your crew," Dylan purposely began. "But I think I still have fairly good judgement, enough that is to know that something is bothering you," he noted calmly.

She didn't respond immediately, and Dylan saw Beka hesitate. She still didn't totally trust him he figured. She had an almost arrogant air about her sometimes, one that implied that he was inferior or lacking any kind of sense simply because he had not physically lived for the past 300 years.

Dylan felt that regardless of that, he still knew something about human nature, even if he was looked upon sometimes as a relic, he'd lived enough even if in the past to have observed his fellow humans.

Beka was frowning now, seeming to concede to his observations. "It's Rev Bem," she finally spoke with some caution. "I think something is wrong with him, he's been in a constant meditation now for nearly twelve straight hours, ever since we returned from that drift with the supplies, and he was acting kind of strange on the Maru during the journey back."

Dylan saw her concern but he knew very little of Magog, they hadn't exactly served with the Commonwealth before the fall, in fact Rev was the first Magog he'd ever seen, let alone befriended. What he did know however was that Beka cared deeply for the Wayist Monk, and so far he had seen nothing to concern him about having a Magog serving on his make shift crew, but her words now alarmed him.

"How was he acting strange?" Dylan asked.

"Irritable," Beka answered, looking at Dylan clearly wanting to say more. "Rev is usually very patient, but he insisted we left him to his meditation, and he just seemed distracted, lacking his usual control," she sighed, as Dylan considered her response.

"Would Trance be able to help?" Dylan suggested. "Maybe he's ill?"

"Rev ill?" Beka checked quickly, and it was clear it hadn't even crossed her mind. "Do Magog get ill?" she then questioned unsure. "Well it couldn't hurt to have her check him out, I'll go find her," she then figured, and with a brief smile she left command in search of Trance, so they could then figure out what was wrong with Rev.

* * *

Rev Bem sat in darkness, with his head bowed having sought out the quietest place he could on the Andromeda. Distractions were testing him; in fact everything seemed to be testing his patience, and he felt disorientated. The lower decks at least offered him some sanctuary and peace, as he rocked gently in a never ending meditation, quietly chanting in a bid to remain focused, but he knew deep down that he was struggling, and there was no answer that he could find for it.

It appeared to him that his demons were trying to strike him down, and Rev had felt the first pangs of doubt back on the drift when his vision had blurred and his balance impeded. He knew he was being tested, Rev simply knew it now, and his time had come for his faith to test him, so he stepped up his efforts in a bid to please the Divine, as he chanted with more determination.

The demons were not going to drag him back to his old ways, his hunger was not his need, and he could beat these feelings he was having, the weakness that was trying to test him. Rev was then aware that he was not alone, his senses were heightened momentarily and his usually controlled instincts were overwhelmed by old urges, redundant urges that suddenly felt very real and needed. His mind became a flurry of pain and hurt, of the need to destroy and he closed his eyes to overcome the intensity of the feelings his senses had evoked.

The briefest of touches on his shoulder sent the Magog into a chilling instinctive action, the scent of his visitor and his growing need collided inside of him, and Rev turned sharply with his teeth showing, a low threatening growl sounded from Rev's throat, and before he realised what he was doing he unleashed the paralysing spray over the owner of the hand that had hesitantly been on his shoulder only moments earlier.

The inhumane cry of shock and horror snapped Rev out of his trance like state, and he focused immediately on his prey, and quickly backed away with fear at his own actions.

"Oh no," Rev spoke with distress. "No, no, this can't be," he repeated over and over, and he held his medallion in his clawed hand. Gripping the bulkhead to prevent further actions that he could not control, he closed his eyes to the truth and prayed for forgiveness and the way.

* * *

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Trance asked Beka with a bounce in her step, as they walked along the quiet unused corridors of the lower decks.

"Trance, he's meditating on the lower decks," Beka stressed as an answer. "Why would he come down here, no one goes down here," Beka then said with disgust.

"Harper does," Trance offered brightly, her purple skin seemed oddly out of place with the darkened corridors.

"He does, why?" Beka asked.

"He's found a lot of supplies down here, where do you think he got all that Sparky cola?" Trance smiled knowingly, but Beka just frowned and shook her head.

"Are we close to Rev's position yet?" Beka asked now with agitation, the darkened corridors were not helping her mood.

"I think so," Trance answered brightly, looking at the pocket scanner.

"You think so?" Beka checked.

"I think there's someone else down here, I'm not sure which one is Rev," Trance answered with confusion.

They both then heard a noise, it sounded like gasping and something else they couldn't quite determine. They quickened their pace, and saw someone semi standing, semi crawling along the corridor ahead, almost definitely struggling to move.

"Harper!" Beka called out on recognising the fallen man, and she hurried forward, catching the young human in her arms, before he collapsed completely. "Harper, what happened?"

"Rev," Harper gasped, and his mouth was agape as his arms flailed about desperately, as if he was struggling to breathe.

Trance looked on as Harper's head rolled, and then he seemed to go limp, remaining conscious, but unmoving. "He's been paralysed," Trance then figured, and she pointed to his face, the clear liquid that was still visible on his pale skin. "Rev did this."

"What?" Beka said with shock, and although Harper's eyes remained watching her, he was unable to move in her hold.

"Beka, something's wrong," Trance then noted.

"Harper's paralysed, yes, I think something is very wrong!" Beka stressed loudly with panic, glancing around with fear, knowing that if Rev had attacked Harper of all people, he could come back for more.

"No, Magog paralysing spray is only supposed to incapacitate the victim, not kill them, it's simply designed to keep the victim immobile, but alive for infestation," Trance stressed, her hand now placed on Harper's white t-shirt, against his chest. "Harper's lungs are failing, I think his heart too; the spray is paralysing all of his internal organs."

Harper groaned in Beka's hold, reminding them he was still conscious. "Maybe we shouldn't discuss this in front of him?" Beka panicked, her mind still confused by what had happened. "We need to get him to med deck, and quick," Beka gathered Harper up with Trance's help and they moved with urgency.

End of Part 1


	2. Finding a reason

Forgot to mention before but special HUGGLES to Paris for being forced to proof read this for Harpery Goodness, I know its not an easy task!

Part 2

Dylan prepped his force lance, and with Tyr they entered the darkened room with caution.

"Rev?" Dylan called out.

"I am here, Dylan," Rev's throaty voice returned from the darkness.

"Do you know why we are here?" Dylan tentatively asked.

There was a low growl of remorse. "I have been expecting you; my actions against young Master Harper deserve punishment."

"Do you have an explanation at least?" Dylan asked.

"He's Magog, that's explanation enough, I said we couldn't trust him," Tyr took his opportunity.

"The Nietzschean speaks the truth," Rev supported and with his hands in a defensive gesture, he came into the low light so Dylan could see him.

"I am not so willing to believe that," Dylan disagreed. "Rev, just tell me if you were aware of your actions against Mr Harper."

"I was not, I acted on my more natural instincts, I lost my control," Rev returned.

"But did you purposely, with intent, mean to harm Harper?" Dylan persisted, needing to know. "Did Harper in some way provoke you, or was this an accident?" he added, knowing how testing the young human could be sometimes in the short time he had known him.

"I was not aware of my own actions, and I can not explain myself any further," Rev offered sadly.

"We need to take you to the Brig," Dylan calmly stated, satisfied.

"That would be a wise plan," Rev agreed, and voluntarily moved on Dylan's gesture. "I can not be trusted whilst my thoughts are so varied, my instincts so uncontrolled."

"Trance will take a look at you," Dylan added.

"You think I am ill?" Rev questioned. "That is impossible."

"Nothing is impossible," Tyr spoke up. "You already prove that by even being on this ridiculous excuse for a crew," he said with disgust.

Dylan stepped forward and pressed a device to the Magog's arm. "We'll run some tests on your blood, to see if there's an answer," Dylan informed the Magog. "Mr Anasazi, can you please escort Rev Bem to the Brig, whilst I give this sample to Trance, and check on Harper?" Dylan asked, and saw the Nietzschean reluctantly follow his order.

* * *

Beka didn't move from Harper's side, as she nervously continued to brush his hair back from his face, letting him know that she was there in the only way she felt she could. Trance frantically checked Harper's vitals, and he was now totally dependant on the medical equipment Trance had hooked him up to. His lungs and heart were constantly being stimulated by the ships systems, keeping him alive, and keeping his body active until the paralysing effects wore off.

"This won't be for much longer," Beka spoke as calmly as she could. "In a couple of hours you'll be fine, I promise," she added.

Harper couldn't respond; he wasn't even able to blink so they kept his eyes closed to protect them. They also couldn't be sure if the paralysis was affecting his brain, in the same way it had affected his other vital organs, and worryingly Trance had reported a lower reading in his brain patterns that concerned them both.

Dylan soon arrived on med deck with urgency, and immediately handed Rev's sample to Trance, before looking at Beka, seeing her concern.

"Rev was willing to be taken to the brig, and he was aware of his own actions," Dylan offered.

"That's a relief," Beka attempted a smile. "So why did he do it?"

"He doesn't seem to know, he said he was unaware of his actions at the time," the captain responded. "He did seem remorseful."

"And so he should," Beka returned her attention to Harper.

"How's he doing?" Dylan moved closer to the cot, to view Harper and it was a terrible sight to see the paralysed human surrounded by so many different machines to simply keep him alive.

"It's not good, I'm not sure if its Harper's weakened immune system or if it's something else that has caused this severe reaction to the spray," Trance offered with confusion, as she worked with Rev's sample. "He shouldn't be suffering like this; the spray should not endanger a human's life."

"Is he still awake?" Dylan asked, seeing Harper's eyes were closed.

"Yes," Trance answered. "Although we can not be sure how aware he actually is, we do not know how much of an effect the paralysis has had."

"How did Rev seem?" Beka then asked.

Dylan shrugged. "As normal as I've known him, talkative, no sign of illness, but he was confused."

"I've only ever seen Rev use the spray in self defence, as his only weapon," Beka explained with a frown. "Never on instinct or as the first line of attack," she added.

"Got it!" Trance exclaimed suddenly, and looked at the expectant faces of Dylan and Beka. "I have compared Rev's blood sample to all known databases dealing with Magog illnesses and there's a known condition known as the 'Black virus', it was a virus designed by a race of people known as the 'Ammaras' in their battle to destroy the Magog, and it's purpose was to confuse and disorientate Magog," Trance explained, as she read the details. "It was then abandoned when its side effects included dramatic changes to the Magog's venom attacks, which started to kill people rather than just paralysed them, other changes seemed to be more brutal attacks by the Magog."

"I think we have a winner, but how did Rev get infected?" Beka checked.

"The drift we visited was once a stronghold for the Ammaras," Rommie's hologram appeared, she looked to one side clearly checking something. "The drifts security systems were designed by the Ammaras, it is possible that they still had a couple of security procedures in place on the drift, but had not had many Magog visitors in recent years, so Rev Bem very possibly activated systems that may have been long forgotten."

"And Rev does keep to the back streets, the less populated areas out of sight, he might have entered a zone and activated an old defence mechanism," Beka suggested. "They probably never expected Magog day visitors to the drift," she added.

"Is there a cure?" Dylan asked with concern now, as he checked over the illness himself at a console, and not liking what he was seeing.

"It says here there isn't, but it only has a limited lifespan, maybe twenty-four hours," Trance offered. "I calculate that it's been seventeen hours since we left that drift."

"So in seven hours everyone should be clear?" Beka figured, looking back at Harper, who remained seemingly lifeless on the cot.

"Yes," Trance agreed. "Harper should start regaining some of his feeling back in the next hour or so, hopefully his internal organs will respond first."

"Good, well, we'll keep Rev in the Brig for the next ten hours, to be sure," Dylan decided. "And Harper is out of danger, right?" he checked towards Trance.

"Harper will be ok," Trance agreed. "The Andromeda is keeping him alive right now, but I see now reason why he shouldn't be independent again in the next couple of hours."

"Good, I'll return to command, keep me updated on any changes," he requested and left the med deck.

Beka sighed heavily, still holding Harper's hand. "I guess I should be thankful that this happened now, whilst on this ship, we wouldn't have had the facilities on the Maru to keep Harper alive like this," she considered.

"Are you still having doubts about staying on the Andromeda?" Trance checked with interest.

"I'm just having trouble adjusting to all this," Beka admitted, as she looked around. "I've lived my entire life on the Maru, my only objective was finding where the next job was coming from," she sighed. "I survived by keeping out of trouble, now it seems we go looking for it, shake hands with it, and then try to save our butts from it."

"I know its fun isn't it," Trance grinned broadly.

"Trance," Beka scolded mockingly. "That was not my point," she smirked now. "Ok, so maybe it is a little fun, and it has its moments."

"Well, Harper has benefited a lot from being here," Trance argued lightly.

"Yeah, I'm sure the radiation poisoning was a high point," Beka responded with a touch of bitterness.

"He'd have suffered and died from Triangulum Measles long before that, remember that the Maru systems failed to pick that up," Trance pointed out.

Suddenly Harper's body jolted, the first movement they had seen from him in nearly two hours, and it seemed to be fighting the machines.

"His lungs and heart are beginning to respond again," Trance identified, checking her console, and she adjusted the machines parameters to compensate and allow for full control to eventually be returned to Harper.

"Harper, I'm still right here," Beka spoke up rubbing his hand, knowing he still couldn't respond but hoping he could hear her.

"All we can do is wait," Trance offered softly, as Beka continued to remind Harper she was right there.

End of Part Two


	3. Fear

Thankies for the comments! Really appreciate them.

Part 3

She could feel him, and she knew she had the power of his life in her control and it caused reactions within her sub routines that concerned her. Andromeda was regulating the power output, Trance may have set the criteria, but Andromeda was in full control and she felt each tremor that sent the artificial breath and beat into the human's body to keep him alive.

On command, the hologram flickered into existence next to her avatar and the screen soon showed her mainframe image. Rommie looked up from her console and frowned.

"Harper will be ok," Rommie spoke to her selves, the hologram and the screen.

"We have no doubt about that," the screen returned. "Unless I suffer a power outrage, a severe power outrage," she quickly corrected. "Then Harper will be fine."

"It does feel strange to be keeping him alive, without us he'd be dead," the hologram spoke.

"Not necessarily true, artificial stimulation by another person of the heart and assisting with breathing is achievable with the right medical training," Rommie pointed out.

"Not for the time scale that we are witnessing here," Andromeda returned from the screen. "It has nearly been two hours since complete respiratory failure from paralysis," she added.

"I feel him, we all feel him, it's a standard part of our operations," Rommie then spoke, stopping her work to fully focus on her 'sisters'.

"You feel fear," the hologram offered towards her avatar.

"Concern," Rommie quickly corrected. "Harper created me, where other engineers were unable to, or not willing to," she explained. "I have grown use to his presence, we have grown use to his presence in our system," she stated.

"He is a very competent engineer," Andromeda revealed looking down on them both from her screen.

"He is much more than that," Rommie objected. "He has been able to do the work of a whole engineering team, and he's surpassed a lot of the work of our previous best engineers."

"Then we should fear what has happened," the hologram reported.

Rommie didn't respond, and Andromeda was quick to spot this. "You do fear that he will leave."

"With good reason," Rommie now defended. "Who else from our new crew has done so much to help us, to make us better, to ensure that we are not a sitting target in these dangerous new worlds?"

"The human appeals to you," the hologram crossed her arms.

"And?" Rommie questioned.

"We should get use to the possibility that he will not be with us for much longer," the hologram suggested. "And with him the possibility that our new crew may soon be our ex-crew."

Rommie returned her attention back to her work, tiring of her discussion with herself.

"It's a possibility we can not ignore," Andromeda now supported her hologram self.

"And we can not ignore the fact that Harper and Rev Bem are intelligent enough to be able to work through their differences, and recognise the facts," Rommie stressed, losing patience as she worked. "We should not be so quick to give up on them, or our mission."

"Your emotions concern me, I feel them, as I feel Harper," Andromeda now revealed.

"Can we just stop this discussion until we know more about the facts?" Rommie requested sharply, and she saw both the screen and the hologram flicker out of sight.

* * *

"My pain belongs to the divine, it is like air, it is like water," Rev quietly chanted, as he had been doing for the past hour. Finally he stopped, when he was aware that he was being watched. Looking up he saw Tyr stood at the brig door, staring at him.

"Mr Anasazi," Rev acknowledged.

"I have been sent here to assess if you are still a rampaging wild beast that can not be trusted," Tyr spoke up.

"I have no yet evolved to such a state of perfection as yourself, Tyr," Rev remarked, with a touch of sarcasm.

"Trance informs us that you were affected by a manufactured virus designed to attack your kind," Tyr spoke with disinterest. "It is called the Black virus."

"I am aware of this virus," Rev simply responded. "I regret my exposure to it, and its consequence," he added with a lower voice. "Do tell me that young Master Harper is recovering well."

"This time, yes," Tyr responded. "I have heard reports that he is regaining feeling and function, and he is breathing unaided now."

Rev seemed to consider Tyr's words. "I have heard that our venom can be lethal when we are exposed to the Black virus," he spoke up.

"The boy was lucky that he was found so soon after you attacked him," Tyr simply responded.

"For that I thank the Divine," Rev bowed his head.

"Maybe you should thank Trance, and seek forgiveness from the little professor before you bow to your precious Divine," Tyr remarked before moving away, and leaving Rev to once more seek forgiveness, still feeling the effects of his illness and hoping to regain control over them.

* * *

Harper was afraid to move, even with Trance and Beka assuring him that he could, they didn't understand. Remembering how the paralysing effects on his body affected him, the feeling and sensation of movement leaving him so rapidly, Harper was simply afraid that by trying to move he would fail and that thought scared him more than anyone could know. In his mind he remembered his cousins briefly, remembered their panicked eyes when they knew that were helpless to do anything to save their own lives, and they were powerless to stop the inevitable, as his own father prepared to kill them for their own good.

He felt unnaturally tired, and his limbs felt heavy with the lack of movement. Parts of him now felt sensitive, as his skin tingled with the returning sensations, other parts felt dead and useless, it was a worrying and strange combination of feelings to experience.

"Come on, Harper, we need to access that you're ok," Trance encouraged. "Try moving your fingers," she added softly.

Harper closed his eyes, and took some controlled breaths, thankful for being able to breathe unaided again. Concentrating, he focused his thoughts on moving his fingers, and then opened his eyes.

"Ok, now the left hand," Trance smiled, and immediately saw Harper's confused expression, as he stared back at her.

"I'm moothing moath," Harper began and rapidly stopped speaking, hearing that his speech was slow and slurred, but in his mind he had clearly said he was 'moving both', but in speech it had come out sounding like he was drunk.

"What's wrong?" Beka immediately asked, trying to hide her concern but it was plainly evident.

Trance took a quick scan and frowned at Harper. "Your left side appears to still be paralysed, including your brain functions and that's affecting your speech," she relayed.

"It's not permanent, right?" Beka checked with urgency.

Trance seemed clearly uncertain, her young tendencies coming into play as she seemed out of her depth now. "I'd need Rev to check, I'm not sure, this is all still new to me," she stressed, reverting to her more child like persona.

"Noth," Harper objected, and then with frustration he showed annoyance to his own predicament. "No," he said with more controlled effort. "Reth no," he added to make his point.

"Harper, don't worry, we'll work this out and if you don't want to see Rev, we understand," Beka spoke with care, holding his hand to comfort him, seeing his distress now.

Harper heard Beka and relaxed slightly, knowing that she understood at least, she always did. It was now the moment when Rev showed his teeth, spraying him with that venom that began to replay in his mind more and more, that was making his anger grow.

Trance moved forward now and she pressed an injector to his neck, and he felt a rush of something immediately inside of him.

"This might help to encourage full mobility," Trance simply offered, having done a quick search through the database for anything that could help Harper. "Keep trying to move your hands," she added.

Harper tried to take a calming breath, and focused on moving his right arm, satisfied that he could and then encouraging movement down his unresponsive left side. In his mind he was moving both arms but his eyes saw that only his right was moving, he attempted to sit up and immediately Beka assisted him seeing his difficulty. Once sitting up, Harper began to grow more frustrated by his inability to get any reaction to his left side, and he could now feel what seemed like a resistance in his mind, like a lingering head ache.

"Don't force it, Harper," Beka said calmly, seeing his rising frustration and anger.

"Do you want to try and walk?" Trance questioned.

"Yesh," Harper answered then immediately looked disgusted by his own speech, and with petulance he over compensated for his lack of mobility on his left side, and almost fell from the cot.

"Steady," Beka warned, as she took some of his weight.

"Find your balance," Trance encouraged, as she watched Harper stand and lean too far to his stronger right side.

After a few moments, Harper was able to stand unaided, and it was now obvious to the naked eye that he had no control over his left side. The left side of his face appeared heavy, as his mouth curved down and his eye remained partially closed, and his arm simply hung by his side.

Beka held both of Harper's arms, and gestured to him to try and walk but he hesitated slightly. "Feels weird," Harper managed to speak with control, hiding the slur. Trance moved away and found a leg brace, usually used to encourage bones to fix, but she saw that it would give Harper the support he needed until full control returned, and with little resistance, she put the brace on.

"Try now," Trance smiled, and watched as Harper put weight on his left leg and found it didn't buckle as he had feared.

Beka grinned now. "This is great Harper, you're walking," she enthused, and she took her support away, as Harper was able to walk unaided, if a little slow.

"Don't do too much," Trance now warned as she continued to take some readings. "Your left lung is still not working to full capacity," she added in explanation.

"Can he return to his own quarters to recuperate now?" Beka asked, knowing it would be something Harper would want.

"I see no reason why not," Trance begin, but then hesitated as she checked her scanner. "Wait," she spoke up, before Harper could move. "Your temperature has increased in the past few minutes."

Harper started to walk, shrugging off with force Beka's attempts to stop him. "Harper?" Beka questioned loudly.

Harper didn't respond, and seemed to be walking more easily as he continued to the exit, leaving Beka to glance at Trance with confusion. "I'll go after him, maybe he just needs some space away from here," Beka offered with a shrug.

"I'll ask Andromeda to monitor his vitals, just in case," Trance spoke with similar confusion, watching Beka leave to hurry after Harper.

End of Part 3


	4. Rampage

Part 4

Harper kept walking, not allowing the limp of his left leg to stop him, and suddenly his mind was a flurry of conflicting emotions. Trance had said it was ok for him to leave, and he wasn't interested in his temperature rising, he just wanted answers and there was only one thing on board that could give him those answers.

With blind fury Harper reached the brig, and immediately identified the one that contained his answers, and he rushed over.

"I trusted you!" Harper yelled, whilst bringing his right hand hammering down on the barrier that prevented him reaching the Magog occupant.

"Master Harper!" Rev's voice came back with obvious surprise.

"Damn you, I freaking trusted you, Magog!" Harper continued with rage his slurred tones less noticeable with the rage, as his right hand continuing to hit the cell door before he moved away and found the engineers supplies panel.

"Harper," Rommie's hologram flickered into existence beside him. "You're temperature is high, you have a fever, stop what you are doing," she ordered.

"Stay out of this, ship!" Harper stressed with conviction, a light sheen covering his face now, as he threw all manner of tools and equipment out of the storage panel, and Rommie blinked out of sight.

"Master Harper let me try to offer," Rev attempted to explain, but Harper soon cut him off, as he quickly returned with a data link cable.

"Forget it, Magog!" Harper yelled with anger, as he single handily connected a wire to his port and then to the door controls with determined focus.

"That is not a good idea, Harper," Rev warned, picking up on what Harper was doing. "I am still infected, and you are in no state," Rev attempted to explain, but the cell door opened.

"Harper!" Beka's voice now sounded, as she finally figured out Harper's destination having wrongly gone to his quarters first.

"Stay out of this, Valentine," Harper stressed coldly, as he stepped into the brig.

"I will not fight you, Harper," Rev offered, as he backed away from the irate human, who approached him with purpose.

Beka moved to the cell entrance, and soon found Tyr by her side having responded to Rommie's call for assistance. "Do something!" Beka exclaimed to Tyr, who simply looked on as Harper stared at the Magog.

"Trust him, trust the Magog, you know how many times I was freaking told that?" Harper stated with anger, his voice still loud but more controlled now.

"I am ill, Master Harper," Rev simply responded.

"But you're all the same, all of your kind," Harper seethed with effort, as his paralysis began to drag him down again. "What," he gasped, and paused for a moment. "What sham I?" he slurred now and closed his eyes for a second, determined to be understood. "Some joke to you?" he asked loudly. "Yeah, I trusted a freaking Magog, stupid freaking human, trusts the Magog and then what happened, huge freaking surprise he attacks me!" he yelled, and Beka noticed Harper stumble slightly.

"Harper, enough," Beka now spoke with authority.

"No, Valentine, I say enough!" Harper dictated now, regaining some control over his speech and actions. "Enough with this freaking freak show, enough with trusting the Magog, the uber, enough!" he yelled, and then staggered slightly, breathing deeply now, as he tried to maintain control.

"Have I done something to make you not trust me?" Tyr spoke up, seemingly put out by being spoken in the same breath as the Magog.

"Do you breathe?" Harper snidely returned, and Tyr crossed his arms. "Enough said," Harper finished, and turned back to Rev. "I trusted you, and do you even know what that meant, Magog?"

"It was more than I could have asked for," Rev stated, his head bowed.

"Seamus, come on, let's go," Beka spoke calmly. "You've said enough."

"Look at me, Magog," Harper demanded now with force. "Look at what you did to me!" Harper insisted now and reached forward without fear, and forced Rev's head up so he looked at him. "You hear me, my voice? You see me, my face, my arm, my left side?" He asked with emotions rising. "Because of you I speak like I'm drunk and I can barely stand on my two legs, and you know why?" Harper stared intently at Rev. "Because I'm the stupid fool that was convinced to accept you, trust you, to consider you a friend," he spoke with hurt in his voice now. "I've learned my lesson all too well," he finished, his hand pressed against Rev's neck now, but the Magog did nothing to stop Harper, as the distressed human pressed down harder on his wind pipe.

Tyr moved forward now, having realised that Rev was failing to respond to Harper's words and this concerned the Nietzschean. "Come now, Harper," Tyr simply spoke, as Harper continued to single handily strangle the Magog, a sinister look in his eye. "I do not wish to hang around for hours watching you only partially strangle a Magog, no matter how satisfying it is to see," Tyr remarked, and then acted quickly when he saw the first glint of anger in the Magog's eyes.

Harper was quickly pulled away, as Tyr saw Rev swipe a clawed hand towards the boy, narrowly missing slicing the human's skin. Wasting no time the Nietzschean pushed Harper towards Beka, and they all hurried out of the brig as Rev lost control to the illness once more. Once the door had been securely activated again, Beka and Tyr could only watch as Rev once more attempted to regain control over his fevered instincts.

"Hang in there, Rev," Beka simply encouraged, before turning to Harper who now rested with his back against the bulk head, catching his breath and looking as white as a sheet, his clothes drenched now in perspiration. "Come on, let's get you to your quarters so you can sleep this fever off," Beka said with care.

"You shaw that, right?" Harper checked with shaky breaths, his injuries and illness more noticeable now as he rapidly weakened before them.

Beka knelt down beside the fallen human, who seemed more shaken than angered now. "I saw it," Beka confirmed. "Neither of you are thinking in your right minds at the moment, so come on, time to rest and get over this fever," Beka encouraged Harper to stand. "It's been a long day for everyone."

Harper was now too tired to respond, as he clung to Beka as she took his weight. Tyr hung back, observing the Magog with disgust.

"Let it be known, should it come down to who goes and who stays, the boys ability to make this relic move will be the deciding factor, I would strongly suggest you work through this illness and fast, and you do the boy no harm in the meantime," Tyr warned before walking away, leaving Rev alone to meditate.

* * *

Rommie stood at her console on command, and she glanced at Dylan before turning to speak to him.

"Should we be concerned by this conflict that has developed between Rev and Harper?" Rommie asked with caution, the earlier discussion with her other selves playing on her mind now.

Dylan sighed. "I'm trying not to be, they seem a resilient unit, so I'm hoping they can bounce back from this."

"They have served side by side for a few years," Rommie noted. "But we still know very little about them, and their past."

"We know enough," Dylan stated, still checking his console.

"What if this conflict between Harper and Rev isn't a new thing, what if they have just been getting along for our benefit?" Rommie asked.

"Now you're speaking like the warship I know and love," Dylan partially smiled at the android, still getting use to her presence in human form. "Rev picked up an illness, Rommie, and now Harper has a weak strain of that same illness, I'm sure once they are both recovered things will be better between them," Dylan offered reassuringly.

"We need Harper," Rommie returned.

"We need Rev," Dylan stated just as firmly. "He's suffering just as much, he never intended or wished to harm Harper, but he did, that's the worse thing he could have done and he's having to deal with that, as well as the illness," Dylan insisted lightly.

"I am worried this will drive Harper away, he truly is a genius at getting my systems in working order, Dylan," Rommie said with concern now.

"Harper's obviously had to overcome his fear of Rev at least once before," Dylan considered, with awkwardness revealing his own fear now. "I mean the kid grew up in hell, and Magog played a major part of that fear."

"As did the Nietzscheans, and we have one of those on board too," Rommie responded.

"Look I hardly know Harper, and we're both still getting to know these people we now call our crew," Dylan explained. "I can't begin to understand what serving with Rev and Tyr must be like for Harper, and vice versa for Rev and Tyr working with him," Dylan shrugged, believing that Harper must have clashed with both species whilst on Earth, and Harper had survived which didn't bode well for his enemies, and Dylan was in no doubt that both Rev and Tyr would be aware of that fact.

Deciding to move on from that thought, Dylan looked at Rommie and saw her concern before he continued. "But what I do know of Harper is that he's a fighter and he knows a good thing when he sees it, and Rommie, that's you," Dylan smiled.

"He does appear to have developed quite an affection for me," Rommie was forced to admit. "I'm just not confident that it's enough to keep him here, considering the other factors."

"I'm sure Beka and Trance will do all they can to help both Harper and Rev," Dylan stated confidently. "All we can do is wait, one day I hope we'll be able to all serve together as a crew, but right now, I'm not sure we can do anything to help them."

"I have noticed that in time of crisis within this crew that the separate elements are more noticeable; the 'them and us' mentality," Rommie observed. "I am not use to not being involved in all aspects of my crews' welfare," she added.

"This is not a normal situation, not yet anyway, and it's still early days we've known them less than a couple of months," Dylan offered. "But give it time, Andromeda, as we live and work together, and experience more you will see that the crew will become one."

"That's if we even manage to keep a hold of this crew," Rommie noted as she returned to her console.

"Hope will be another factor," Dylan sighed.

End of part 4


	5. Waking Up

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to make some very kind comments, I am enjoying reading your responses! So here's some more….

Part 5

Beka had been watching over him for a number of hours, and was fighting with her own fatigue now. Blinking her eyes once more, she adjusted her sitting position before noticing that Harper was slowly stirring from his deep sleep. Moving forward, Beka cautiously observed as Harper became aware of his surroundings, and she immediately noticed him flexing his left hand.

"Harper," Beka spoke softly to let him know she was there.

"Beka," Harper wearily spoke as he took a deep breath, and finally opened his eyes. "I feel like crap," he grimaced.

"You're ill, but you've slept through the worse part," Beka smiled warmly, as she crouched down beside his bed.

Harper rolled over and hid his face in his pillow for a moment, with both hands now covering his face. "Beka," a muffled voice was heard from the engineer. "Did I really confront Rev?" he questioned.

"That was you," Beka partially smiled now, hearing his embarrassment. "I got it on flexi if you ever want to see it," she mocked.

Harper rolled onto his back, staring blankly at the overhead. "How's he doing?"

"He's over it, for the most part," Beka informed him. "Dylan allowed him back to his quarters where he's been in eternal meditation ever since."

"Did I catch what he had?" Harper asked, glancing at Beka for the first time since we woke up.

"Not exactly, we think his venom contained traces of the virus, that with your weakened immune system had the effect we all saw," Beka stated. "That whole losing your head and then trying to strangle a Magog with one hand incident," she reminded him.

"Don't remind me," Harper complained, and covered his face again.

"You appear to have full mobility back," Beka observed brightly.

"It feels a bit stiff, my left side still aches slightly, feels sluggish, but I can move it at least," Harper agreed and flexed his left hand to prove his point. "I don't sound drunk anymore, either," he brightened slightly.

"Look, about what happened," Beka began with caution. "No one is judging you, but I need to know one thing," she spoke and waited for Harper to acknowledge her before continuing.

"Go on," Harper offered.

"You know it was an accident, right?" Beka questioned. "The illness controlled Rev, like it partly controlled you, and that's why Rev attacked you."

Harper sat up, and his right hand rubbed his aching left shoulder before he responded. "Yeah," he stated without conviction.

"Seamus, it wasn't Rev's fault," Beka spoke with care.

Getting to his feet, Harper was clearly unable meet with Beka's words and instead moved to the bathroom to freshen up. Beka stood up and followed him, and then she observed his silence before speaking.

"Want to talk about it?" she offered calmly.

Harper let the water run from the tap, occasionally splashing his face before he turned the tap off and grabbed a towel. "I'd rather take a shower," he shrugged.

"Seeing as you've failed to add some smutty line about me joining you, ok, but we will talk about this, you won't be able to avoid me for ever," Beka warned, as she stepped away and left Harper alone.

Harper backed against the wall and slid down, with no intention of taking a shower as he let his head drop into his hands, bringing his knees up close. He still had a temperature, and he could feel the heat of his own skin. The confusion raged inside, even though it had been the illness that had driven him to confront the Magog, the thoughts behind his actions remained his own, he felt like the universe's biggest mug, and it hurt more than anything the Magog could do to him.

"Usually taking a shower involves actually getting wet," Beka's voice broke the silence a few seconds later, and Harper looked up to see Beka stood at the door.

"In a weird way," Harper began, with his voice low and soft. "I always wondered what it must have felt like to be paralysed by that venom," he frowned, his own words clearly unsettling him as Beka moved closer, and his hands rubbed his face as he tried to get a grip, almost losing himself to his emotions.

"Seamus," Beka now spoke with concern as she moved down to sit beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders. "I'm not so insensitive that I don't realise what happened, that it goes a lot deeper than Rev simply paralysing you by accident."

"If just one person from Earth could see me now, happily co-existing on a freaking ship with a Magog and an Uber," Harper then spoke with a hint of anger in his voice. "I'd be shot on the spot, you realise that?" he now questioned with force and his hands nervously fidgeted as he spoke.

"This isn't Earth," Beka answered.

"Blah, blah, blah," Harper dismissed quickly, agitated by her response. "You asked the world of me to trust Rev, Dylan asked another world of me to work with an uber," he stressed. "And I've tried, and I've dusted my entire freaking past under some larger than life rug, and I did that for you, Beka, and for Dylan for the whole damn mission that we're suddenly on, and yet here you are, after my trust has been severely broken, and you are asking me once more to just forget and I'm sorry, Beka," Harper sighed now. "I don't know if I can do this anymore."

Beka had never heard Harper speak so frankly, normally a guy who was hard to really read. This was the first time she had heard him clearly unsettled by something, and she began realise exactly what Rev had done to the human. "I'm not asking you to forget, Harper," Beka returned softly, after some thought. "I just wanted you to recognise the facts."

Harper smirked now. "I know the facts," he insisted.

"If Rev had truly attacked you, Seamus, you'd be dead right now and you know that is a fact," Beka responded with conviction.

Harper got to his feet. "I really do want to shower now and get dressed, I feel like crap," he stated, gesturing to the clothes he had slept in.

Beka stood up and looked at Harper with care. "Please, I'm not asking the world, not this time," she simply said and left him alone as Harper sighed, and prepared for his shower.

She heard the water this time, and Beka left Harper's quarters with a lot to think about. So many times since she had joined the Andromeda she had considered leaving, but for her own reasons without consideration for the rest of her crew. This existence was ridiculous, this wasn't her and Beka now wondered if it ever would be. Harper's words had almost stung her, she was the reason he was here and why he had to deal with so many conflicting emotions, working with a Magog and a Nietzschean yet she had hardly given it a second thought.

Beka sighed as she walked, her thoughts about Rev rapidly conflicting now, but she knew that she needed to sleep and worked out that she had been awake now for nearly twenty hours straight. Deciding to sleep on it, she headed for her quarters, but inwardly she made a pact, Harper just had to say the word and she wouldn't hesitate in leaving on the Maru with him.

End of Part 5


	6. Back to Normal?

Part 6

"Beka."

Beka looked up from her food to see Dylan joining her. "He's fine," she pre-empted.

Dylan smiled as he sat down. "So everything is back to normal?" Dylan asked.

"Harper is back working, Rev is meditating, I think so," Beka answered with shortness, and took another mouthful of food.

"I'm not the enemy," Dylan spoke sincerely, and waited for Beka's response.

Beka put down her cutlery, and frowned giving Dylan more of her attention. "Harper's pretty shaken up, and I've never seen him like this before," Beka offered finally. "Rev feels like he's failed in his faith, let us all down," she sighed. "Maybe they'll be alright in time?"

"Tell me some more about Harper and Rev," Dylan requested. "How did you ever get Harper to accept Rev in the first place?"

Beka smiled, as she remembered. "I just asked him to."

"Just like that?" Dylan checked.

"Yeah," Beka agreed. "Well, when Harper joined the Maru a lot was going on for him, I mean come on, he'd just escaped Earth, so in those first few weeks he was just willing to put up with anything, I guess," she shrugged.

"But he escaped Earth I assume to get away from the Magog?" Dylan questioned.

"Believe it or not, when Harper first signed up for the Maru he was not as confident as he is now," Beka remembered. "He was cocky for sure, had a mouth on him like you wouldn't believe, but he was also very afraid that I was going to dump him at the first opportunity, and so when I said he had to work with Rev, he just did without question, and I think he quickly figured out for himself that Rev was different."

Dylan considered her words. "Well maybe that's what he wanted you to see and think," he offered. "I think we're seeing something very different now."

"He's ill, Rev is ill, that's all we're seeing," Beka dismissed.

"I'm not judging your crew," Dylan quickly spoke.

"So first problem and they are suddenly my crew again?" Beka snapped.

"That's not what I meant," Dylan was fast to correct. "And this is far from the first problem," he added with a smile, keeping the mood light. "My point is that you're now seeing what Harper truly has feared all along about working with Rev, deep down, and maybe what Rev has also feared by working with Harper, and I'm guessing this is the first time anything like this has happened between them."

Beka was silent now, as she continued to eat, it took her a few moments before she could respond. "I never had the time to deal with my crew's emotions and fears, but it wasn't that I didn't care," she admitted. "We were just too focused on getting our next job, our next payday so we could all eat and survive, that we didn't have time to deal with things like this," she sighed. "But this ship, your mission," she paused. "It's forcing us to address these unspoken issues, and I'm not sure I like that," she sighed. "I'm sorry Dylan but I'm starting to think this whole situation is tearing what I consider to be my best crew apart, maybe what has happened between Harper and Rev is just my wake up call to this fact."

"You can't blame Harper or Rev for having these issues," Dylan noted.

"I don't," Beka returned sharply. "It's just before, we managed to all get along, we all knew our roles and jobs, don't get me wrong we fought, and we argued," Beka frowned. "But we all needed each other, and that one element of survival kept us working towards the same goal."

"Now you fear that focus and goal has been taken away?" Dylan asked with interest, and some confusion.

"This ship, it has all we need and in some way it's taken away a part of our fight, the struggle," Beka explained with consideration. "In its place we now have some impossible fight, but it's not nearly so consuming, we have time to think now, to talk," Beka further explained. "And it means that if Rev gets sick, he stays here to recuperate because he can, it in turns affects us all, and I discover that the once solid crew that I thought I had were just held together with hope and the promise of food and a safe place to sleep," Beka finished with a sigh.

Feeling a little responsible, Dylan frowned. "This ship has provided them with a comfort and sanctuary you've not had afforded to you before," he concluded what Beka was trying to tell him.

"This is a warship, and compared to the Maru, this ship is a whole drift in itself, if we need a break from each other now we don't have to leave, we just move to another deck," she smirked, trying to lighten her own mood.

Dylan waited for a few moments before speaking again. "So, this isn't the first time Rev has been ill?" Dylan checked back on what Beka had said.

"I've never known Rev to be ill, but before when things got tough for him he'd just disappear for a few days or weeks, and then come back refreshed and focused," Beka responded. "And he didn't do that this time."

"So you think that Harper coming across him unknowingly during one of these times, when maybe Rev would have previously put more distance between you all, caused Rev to react how he did?" Dylan asked.

"That and the illness," Beka agreed. "Rev has always had impeccable control, Dylan, and this is the first time I've known him to lose it and the first time I've seen him so much as look at one of our crew with intent," Beka looked at Dylan now. "Look, I spoke with Harper earlier, and I should warn you that he is, unsettled," she looked away, her own words concerning her.

"We're all adjusting to this new situation," Dylan pointed out. "Give it some time."

"You are probably wondering how we even managed to function before you came along," Beka mocked now.

"The fact you did is good enough for me," Dylan countered with a smile. "And somehow you managed to not only have a Magog on your crew, but the wonders that are Trance and Harper."

Beka smirked now, softening slightly as she looked at Dylan. "You know I'm still not convinced that this can work, this whole Commonwealth ideal," Beka then spoke. "But I'll be damned if I'm going to let this mission, or adventure, whatever this really is ruin what I know is the best crew I ever had."

"I have no wish to destroy anything, I'm all about building and progress," Dylan confirmed confidently.

"So, if things get worse, I can count on you?" Beka asked.

"Do you think they will?" Dylan asked.

"This is new territory for me, before if I had a problem with my crew I'd airlock the trouble maker," Beka grinned. "I just don't really know if anyone is truly to blame, can't blame Rev for being ill or being a Magog, and I can't blame Harper for his nightmares and who he is."

"What do you want me to do?" Dylan prompted.

"I don't know," Beka sighed. "Just pretend like this is your crew so I can try and get some more sleep, I'm really not sleeping well right now, and then maybe I can wake up and everything will be back to normal?" she suggested tiredly.

"I can do that," Dylan played along, as Beka got to her feet. "Or at least give it my best shot," he added.

"You have command," Beka mocked as she left the mess deck, leaving Dylan only slightly more confident with the situation.

* * *

Harper wrestled with the chips that refused to move from the panel in the conduit where he now lay, usually he had no problem with moving them, but his left side was still feeling weak, and it was hindering his work now as the working day was coming to a close, and tiredness was settling in. Most of the jobs he had done had kept him out of the way, hidden among the conduits and constantly on the move, and it seemed for the most part that the crew were happy for him to keep a low profile.

Rommie had occasionally checked up on him, appearing in hologram form wherever he worked, and she seemed satisfied each time that he was doing well. This time however when she blinked into sight, Harper knew she would be ordering him to rest and eat. He had been steadily growing more agitated, and whatever lingered of the virus was starting to show again, Harper knew his time was up before Rommie had even uttered a word.

"I'm packing up," Harper pre-empted. "I have to think overtime to just do the simple jobs," he complained, as he put his tools away.

"I have noticed your work rate is slightly below normal levels," Rommie's voice returned.

"I just feel a bit slow today," Harper frowned. "Got a slight headache, so going to go and get some rest before anyone orders me too."

"Good, your temperature has been steadily rising again and you do need to rest, your body's systems are still recovering from the effects of the paralysis," Rommie's hologram informed him, as she flickered into life. "I have left food and drink in your quarters," she added with care.

"Thanks," Harper sighed as he began to make the journey back to the main area of the ship, he liked that Andromeda, being a warship in particular, would care for him like this but he couldn't help but sense the undertones of uncertainty in her actions, and in a warship that couldn't be good. "Hey, Rommie, care to add some candles and join me?" he then added with a smirk, in some small way hoping to sound more like his usual self.

"Sorry Harper, I'm busy tonight," Rommie returned playfully, seemingly appreciating his humour for once.

"Shame," Harper smirked. "You don't know what you're missing."

"Oh I think I do, Seamus," Rommie responded but with a glum air almost, before she blinked out of sight, leaving Harper to frown at what she could have meant.

As he pulled himself out of the conduit, he immediately knew he had company and Harper soon saw Tyr stood waiting in his machine shop.

"I'm done for the day," Harper spoke evenly. "Whatever it is, it waits till tomorrow. I got a headache, and I'm not exactly at my sharpest right now."

"This can not wait," Tyr stated.

"Tough, I'm tired, hungry and under orders from a warship to rest," Harper spoke, as he put his tools to one side, and prepared to leave.

"The matter with the Magog needs to be resolved," Tyr stated, even though he noticed the slower reactions from the human.

"Really?" Harper responded dismissively, not sounding as convinced.

"The Magog, like you, worked for a few hours today," Tyr announced. "On Command."

"Good for him," Harper responded sharply, and quickly headed for the exit.

"Do you plan to avoid him for the rest of your time here?" Tyr questioned. "However long that might be," he added.

Harper stopped and turned. "Sounds like a plan to me," Harper offered without conviction.

Tyr moved forward. "As much as I dislike serving in a crew that includes a savage murderous beast, who has apparently found the way, I concede that his presence here maintains a purpose."

"This is all very interesting but I have dinner waiting," Harper complained, and began to move again.

"As do you serve a purpose," Tyr finished, and Harper stopped again but didn't turn around this time.

"At least you got something right, uber," Harper simply spoke, and he didn't have a chance to react as Tyr grabbed hold of him and pushed him against the bulkhead with force.

"You will stop calling me that name," Tyr demanded strongly, and stared into the confused then resilient eyes of the human, as he slowly smirked at him. "I have done a lot, boy, to try and make you feel comfortable around me, I have been somewhat sensitive to your fear and your uncertainty and yet you repay me with curse words and disrespect."

Harper lost his smirk, but the defiance remained. "I owe you nothing, and I'm not a boy," Harper snapped.

"We serve the same crew, fight the same fight," Tyr reminded him.

Harper smirked again. "Yeah, I see your 'I fight side by side with Hunt' t-shirt that your wearing, yeah I really believe you, uber!" Harper stressed mockingly. "You forget that I probably know your kind a lot better than you know yourself!"

"You see me as the enemy?" Tyr questioned. "As you see the Magog?"

Harper sneered without responding and Tyr shook him to get his attention, the wayward young human was truly trying his patience now.

"If you are unable to work with the Magog, how will you perform you duties on board this ship, or will you avoid Command forever? That does not serve this ship well," Tyr then stated, letting Harper go with annoyance.

"I'll work how I always have done, my way and in my own time," Harper simply stated, and then pushed past Tyr as he left the machine shop to return to his quarters.

Tyr pursued him, and quickly caught up but he could already sense the rising anger in the boy, admitting that this was something of a welcomed surprise. Since he had known the little professor, Tyr had feared him to be a weak link, but now he felt he was seeing a promising development.

"Look, Mr Muscle," Harper now snapped, as Tyr did nothing but walk alongside him, as if waiting for Harper to react. "If you thought you could talk me into playing nicely with the Magog then get out of my face now, I'm not some stupid kludge who needs to be told what to do, especially by an uber," Harper snapped and then saw Tyr just looking at him expectantly, and deep down he now felt guilty for his choice of words, an uber on Earth would have floored him by now for the things he had said.

With frustration, Harper looked up and down the corridor, they did serve side by side and Tyr did deserve a little better from him, he conceded. "This isn't about Rev, it's not even about you, ok?" he then stated and sighed. "Just get out of here, and don't worry, I won't risk the ship over what is obviously in your uber enhanced view a stupid petty trust issue," Harper stressed. "And I'm going nowhere, you'll see that in a week I'll be playing nicely again, no doubt, like I always do," he sighed, feeling tired more so now than before, as his anger rapidly left him.

Tyr stopped and let Harper continued alone now, having heard all he needed to hear, some sort of logic from the boy that gave him hope.

End of Part 6


	7. Reflections

Part 7

"Rev, can we talk?" Dylan cautiously asked, as he stood at the entrance to the darkened room where Rev was meditating.

Rev didn't respond for a moment, and then he finally looked up and acknowledged Dylan's presence. "I am feeling a little tired, due to the illness I suspect, so I should request that we make this quick just in case I lose focus."

"Noted," Dylan observed and approached with caution. "I appreciate your efforts in returning to work whilst you are still feeling the effects of your illness."

"I feel fine most of the time," Rev returned. "But I am also tiring quickly, and my temperature seems elevated most of the time."

"Your illness was supposed to have passed already," Dylan observed.

"I have been in discussion with young Trance, and it seems that I may have contracted a mutated form of the original engineered virus," Rev explained, as he got to his feet. "It might also explain the severe reaction Master Harper received to it, and why he too is suffering high temperature and tiredness."

"It's not contagious or dangerous I hope," Dylan asked with care.

"I can only pass it on through my venom, and I can assure you that I have no desire to take that route with anyone else anytime soon," Rev declared with conviction. "Master Harper's suffering is more than enough for me to feel guilty for at this time."

"Tell me more about your working relationship with Harper," Dylan now requested. "Did you have any problems like this before? Beka seems to think Harper just knuckled down to it, in working with you."

"That is true," Rev confirmed. "But I have always sensed his natural fear and one that will never leave him, I had to take a lot into consideration to make him more able to feel comfortable working with me, no sudden movements, no showing of teeth, no direct contact," he further explained. "I also found that using humour appealed to the young human, I often made jokes at my own expense for his benefit and I feel this helped."

"But you know he feared you, deep down, but he just didn't deal with that fear?" Dylan now questioned.

"I have been aware of that for some time, which makes me regret even more that I did what I did," Rev bowed his head now. "I can only hope and prey that Master Harper will once again find the strength to be able to work with me, I would sincerely hate to inconvenience you any further."

"You're not inconveniencing me," Dylan was quick to assure the Magog. "We're going to be arriving at the Sanserio Drift in the next twelve hours, we have already checked for any anti-Magog security systems of which there are none, so I want you to take some shore leave, get some rest and recuperate from your illness, I hear there are some lovely mountain ranges on the planet below that maybe Beka could be talked into taking you down to," Dylan smiled.

"I will consider your request, a little R&R seems an appropriate option at this time, a break from this ship and your crew, and I would like to clear my system of these ill effects that I am still suffering," Rev bowed his head once more. "Now I fear I must ask you to leave," Rev simply said and Dylan accepted his warning, and left the Magog to his troubled meditation.

* * *

The silence was unnatural, and made things tense. Beka piloted the Maru towards the drift without word. They were alone, having left early at the Magog's request, but Rev decided that he needed to talk, feeling concerned by Beka's silence.

"Rebecca, I will use my time on the drift well in retrieving my focus," Rev said with care.

"I hope so, Rev," Beka simply said, without emotion, her eyes fixed ahead of her as she piloted the Maru.

"I am glad to see young Harper returning to work," Rev then spoke with caution.

"Rev," Beka stopped him saying anything else. "Right now I'm wondering if maybe you should be in restraints, wondering if I'm even safe here with you."

"I can assure you that you are, and I will warn you otherwise," Rev quickly spoke.

"You're still ill, Rev, and the last time you lost focus Harper didn't get much of a warning did he?" Beka lightly snapped, still avoiding looking at Rev.

"I can appreciate your upset at my actions towards Harper," Rev's head was bowed.

"Why didn't you tell us you were ill, why did you let things go so far that Harper nearly died?" Beka demanded, finally spinning around to face Rev now.

"Beka," Rev hesitated, as he tried to find an explanation.

"Just forget it, Rev," Beka snapped her attention back to piloting. "I've put a lot of faith into you, and I gave you a chance, Rev, the same chance I gave to Harper and Trance," she stressed.

"Beka I will always be grateful," Rev tried to speak.

"I don't want your gratitude," Beka was quick to interrupt and then she sighed, relaxing slightly. "Just get your focus back, get over this illness and we'll talk, maybe," she finished.

Not wishing to further trouble Beka, Rev bowed his head and left the blonde captain to her piloting as the drift grew ever closer.

* * *

Some time later, Beka sat in the serving area of the Maru, looking up as Dylan and Tyr walked through to join her.

"Harper left about ten minutes ago to visit the drift, he wanted to be alone for a while," she advised them tiredly.

"Good," Dylan seemed encouraged. "Did he ask about Rev?"

"No, he didn't, I think he thinks Rev is still on the Andromeda, he doesn't know to my knowledge that I made the two runs here," Beka offered, but appeared distracted. "I don't like this."

"He'll be ok," Dylan stated.

"I have no doubt he will be," Beka responded.

"That's what concerns you," Tyr guessed, and saw Beka glance at him. "You feel the boy has just moved on once again, not dealing with the problem that you see."

Beka got to her feet. "When I spoke to him the other day he was this close," Beka gestured with her hand passionately demonstrating how close. "This close to packing this all in, he told me things he's never said before, about working with Rev and with you Tyr," she stated.

"And now he's returned to the old routine?" Dylan offered.

"As if nothing happened, as if we don't care what happened," Beka frowned, as she sat back down looking disappointed. "Speaking to Rev earlier, he's showing all the signs of regret and seeks forgiveness," she added.

"I thought this was what you wanted," Dylan now questioned. "You didn't want to deal with emotions or issues, just to get on with the job in hand."

"Don't say it like I'm a cold hearted bitch," Beka snapped.

"Beka, I didn't mean to offend," Dylan was quick to speak. "But you wanted things to go back to normal, and as far as I can see, that's what Harper is attempting to get back to, as is Rev in his own way of seeking forgiveness."

"But I know now," Beka now spoke with some frustration. "Harper told me how difficult this is for him, and I know that now," she tried to explain. "This morning I struggled to even say two words to Rev, it was too painful to say anything to him without remembering what he did, and I keep hearing what Harper told me."

"You've been waiting for the little professor to inform us that he's leaving," Tyr then figured.

"And I wouldn't stop him, and I will probably be right there with him," Beka sighed.

"So you're disappointed to be staying?" Dylan tried to work out. "Harper has given me no sign in the past few hours that he wants to leave."

Beka rubbed her face. "No," she conceded. "Just, disappointed that once again Harper's shut us out, and that he's going to once again just accept Rev without first dealing with what happened," she offered.

"The boy will never truly accept the Magog, like he'll never fully trust me," Tyr pointed out.

"He shouldn't be expected to just shut up and get on with it," Beka countered.

Tyr gruffly folded his arms, and frowned. "Why not?" He questioned. "I spoke with the boy and he told me he was going no where, that his actions of late, the avoidance of command, had nothing to do with the creature."

"Because that's all he's ever known, hiding his true feelings, just to make things easier for everyone!" Beka argued, and once again she got to her feet and this time she headed for the exit, but paused before leaving. "Look, maybe it's just me, maybe I'm just learning things about my crew that I previously ignored, but I'm not going to ignore these things any longer," she sighed, with her back to Dylan and Tyr. "Things have changed now and I have to adjust to those changes," she finished.

Dylan tentatively moved forward. "It seems to me there is one thing you are ignoring right now," he offered, and saw Beka turn to look at him with confusion. "Rev," he simply revealed. "Yes, I'm all for giving Harper the support he needs, but Rev needs the same support, but you've hardly mentioned him and you told us yourself that you're having trouble even speaking to him."

Beka simply looked at Dylan for a moment, before she swiftly left the area without another word.

End of Part 7


	8. Shoreleave

Thanks to all who have taken the time to comment, very appreciated! Hope you enjoy the rest….

Part 8

Harper walked along the main street of the drift, hands in pockets as he blended in with the local scene. It had taken all his efforts to persuade Beka to let him go alone, he needed the space and time to think about things, especially his future.

The best place to do this, he decided, was the local bar and with a pocketful of thrones to hand; he wasted no time in finding the nearest one. Ordering a beer, Harper glanced around and saw some lively guys in the corner, their loud voices attracting a lot of attention.

"Ignore them, son," the barkeep now spoke, as he handed the beer over and took the money from Harper.

"Who are they?" Harper idly asked.

"The local yobs," the bar keep spoke, glancing at the rowdy youths.

"Yobs?" Harper questioned.

"It's what we call them, local slang for hooligans, troublemakers," the barkeeper answered cagily, looking at Harper now as an outsider. "They are always up to no good, under the thin guise of making this place safer, when it is them who give this drift a bad name," the barkeep sounded tired, as he spoke. "They have nothing better to do than terrorise anyone or thing that crosses them," he offered. "You see that loud one?"

"They are all loud," Harper remarked with a smirk.

"The especially loud one, tall with the short black hair, that's Barton, the leader of the crowd," the barkeeper stated. "Those two either side of him are his lackeys, Rossi and Piper, not so bright but will do anything that Barton tells them," he frowned. "The whole drift is scared of them and their gang, and business has dropped by nearly fifty percent since they started acting as if they own this place."

"Why doesn't the law just move them on?" Harper idly asked, as he slowly drank his beer, catching glances at the gang in question. There were about thirty youths around three tables, making very loud gestures but not caring about the attention they were drawing.

"They are the law, at least in the sense that no one questions them or crosses them without paying the price," the barkeeper cleaned a couple of glasses now. "Take my advice, do what you have to do here and leave quickly, don't hang around to give them an excuse to dislike you."

"Nice selling point to get people to visit this place," Harper frowned, returning his attention to his beer. "Well I'm not in town for long, just passing, so I'm sure I can avoid them," Harper added, as he took another gulp of his beer and savoured the glorious feel of the liquid running down his throat.

"Well just be careful, they target youngsters like you," the barkeep continued.

"Like me?" Harper checked unsure.

"Young, streetwise looking, like yourself," the barkeep explained, gesturing to Harper's attire.

"Well I have a job, and a reputation that I don't want being messed up by street punks, or yobs, whatever you call them," Harper stated. "Anyway, why are they so upbeat?" he asked, seeing them continuingly hitting glasses together in a show of triumph.

"They got themselves a Magog earlier," the barkeeper explained.

Harper raised his eyebrows. "A Magog, shesh, I thought it was only kludges that celebrated that sort of capture," Harper offered, trying to disguise his own background.

"Kludges?" the barkeep questioned now.

"Local slang, where I come from," Harper knowingly smiled.

The barkeep returned the smile. "Well, we don't get many Magog visiting this drift, and we haven't got the fancy security that some drifts have," the barkeeper continued to explain, as he dried some more glasses. "So these boys set out to capture it, and I have to say there are a few people still in the queue to buy these boys a drink for doing so."

Harper took another gulp of his beer before he suddenly put the pieces together, and he slammed his glass down. "When was this Magog captured?" he asked.

"About four hours ago," the barkeep returned.

Harper moved away from the bar and activated his communications via his data port. "Beka, Dylan, Rommie, anyone?" Harper requested in hushed tones.

"Go ahead, Harper, Dylan here," Dylan returned briskly.

"Did Rev leave the ship?" he asked quietly.

"Harper," Dylan's voice hesitated, immediately sounding guilty.

"Just tell me," Harper demanded with hushed urgency.

"I think he left roughly four and a half hours ago," Dylan promptly responded.

"Crap," Harper replied, looking at the gang of young adults still celebrating.

"Harper, what is it?" Dylan asked with more urgency now.

"Nothing," Harper instinctively stated. "At least, I don't think so, I'm not sure, look I'll be in touch," he closed communications and when he heard the incessant buzzing in his neck of Dylan trying to re-establish communicate he deactivated the signal.

Harper returned to the bar. "Do you know what these guys have done with the Magog?"

"Last I heard them say they had him strung up over by main generator plant," the barkeep explained casually.

Harper hit the bar. "Where is that?" he asked. "I'd like to pay this Magog my own respects, you know?" he added with a sneer. "Got some debts to pay to the monsters," he stressed when the barkeep appeared to hesitate.

"Just buy the yobs a drink like everyone else," the barkeeper suggested.

"You really want them to be drunker than they already are? Look, I just want to see," Harper insisted now. "I've lost family to those freaks."

Finally the barkeep seemed to understand. "Turn left out of here, keep heading north and then you'll see the smoke rising, that's the building and I assume he must be around the bridge area, if they have him strung up."

Without another thought, knowing a friend could be in trouble, Harper thanked the man before promptly leaving and hurrying off to check for himself what he suspected.

* * *

The motion was causing nausea now, and the ground below seemed to swirl endlessly as he swung. Rev could feel the pressure in his head, as his body remained upside down, swinging precariously over the bridge by a single piece of rope that was tied tightly around his ankle. He remembered very little, but did remember deciding to just take a quick walk around the drift whilst it was simulated dark to clear his head, rather than bother Beka Valentine for a trip down to the mountains as Dylan had suggested, she didn't appear to be too pleased with him right now.

The Magog rarely regretted his decisions, but now was a good time to do so, this was the second time in so many months that he had found himself in this position, briefly remembering the High Guard kids. He felt beaten and his illness was really affecting him now. Rev just wanted to lie down and relax, or meditate, as he really was feeling it now.

"Rev?" a voice broke through, sounding breathless but somehow familiar. "Rev, is that you down there?"

"Harper?" Rev gruffly returned, with surprise in his voice, it had been the last voice he had expected to hear.

"Hang on," Harper offered with the confirmation, and Rev began to feel the rope but pulled up. "We'll get you back to the ship before those local kids return."

"Harper, how did you find me?" Rev tried to ask, but Harper was too consumed with his efforts in pulling the Magog up to answer. It took a good few minutes, but the rope thankfully held, as Harper gave one final tug, allowing Rev to get some purchase on the bridge, and he pulled himself up. Harper gave him only a little assistance in climbing over the rail, before they both semi-collapsed on the ground with exhaustion.

"Master Harper, how did you find me?" Rev asked as he removed the rope from his ankle, and seeing how tired the exertion had made the human.

"I was in the bar," Harper panted. "Overheard the goons, or yobs as they're referred to here, that did this," Harper explained between heavy breaths, wiping his brow.

"We should go, before they return," Rev warned. "I thank you for your efforts in rescuing me."

"Yeah, well," Harper got to his feet with some effort, shrugging off the thanks. "It's what friends do, right?"

"So we are still friends?" Rev checked, as they began to hurry away, it had been the first time he had even seen Harper since he had paralysed him.

"Yeah," Harper offered, distracted by sudden shouts that they heard behind them. "Let's not have the heart to heart now," Harper encouraged and they both quickened their pace.

They didn't get far before Harper stumbled, and Rev was quickly by his side seeing that exhaustion seemed to be the cause. "Harper?" he spoke with concern to the fallen human who was having trouble catching his breath.

Breathing heavily, Harper attempted to get up but his legs failed him each time. Even with Rev's encouragement, Harper was unable to recover as he gasped for breath now truly exhausted, and so Rev pulled him back into a nearby ally.

"Breath deep, Harper, and slowly, don't rush," Rev stressed, and he checked Harper's forehead, feeling the heat of his illness, and seeing the panic and tension in the human, unsure if it was his touch or the overall distress that caused it. "You've simply over exerted yourself, we can wait a few minutes whilst you recover," he assured him, even with the frenzied shouts that now surrounded them both, as the goons discovered Rev's escape.

"Man," Harper gasped. "This illness sucks," he added.

"I too am feeling the effects," Rev agreed, but his suffering was less obvious.

"They will find us," Harper stressed, hearing that the shouts were even closer now. "It's just like old times, right, being chased off of drifts?" he then grinned with mad enthusiasm.

Rev glanced out to the street with concern, and saw at least ten young men now checking everywhere, and he had to concede that it wouldn't be long before they found the ally where they hid. Unlike old times, he wasn't sure now that they would escape.

"You have to say I attacked you," Rev quickly decided.

"Rev, you were hanging down by ten feet at least," Harper protested, and his head rolled slightly. "Not even a super fit uber could ascend that height solo, after hanging for so long, and they beat you right?" Harper checked, seeing no evidence but just guessing, as the Magog nodded. "They'll know you had help," he gasped, looking frantically down the ally where the voices grew louder.

"If they discover you helped me, Seamus," Rev began, and then paused. "These men are very uneducated, and not enlightened like yourself, they will not understand your reasons for helping me."

"I know how they think," Harper stressed angrily. "I used to be just like them," he added with conviction, but avoiding Rev's stare now.

"Fact remains that you can not let it be known that you helped me," Rev stressed.

"Fact is, these guys won't believe me one way or another," Harper countered. "I know this because I wouldn't have believed me in this situation."

"We should still try," Rev stated.

With determination Harper showed no sign that he was prepared to let Rev take on the gang alone, he felt it was his fight too now, and he wasn't going to back out. "I won't lie, Rev, you're not suggesting I lie?" Harper asked knowingly, and with spite.

Rev paused as he looked at Harper, who was using his own strict code of conduct against him. "A white lie to protect yourself is not as bad as a true lie."

"I was once told by a wise Magog that a lie is a lie, no matter how you dress it up," Harper argued, and then they heard voices close by. "And you owe me," he simply added without reason, and Rev's guilt was plain to see in his eyes.

"Sometimes that marvellous mind of yours is your own worse enemy, Master Harper," Rev conceded with concern.

"Rev, I came to help you, to help you," Harper offered with conviction, still catching his breath. "Admittedly I've done a sucky job of it so far, but if I stop now," Harper stated, glancing once more towards the sound of the voices. "Then I'm no better than the idiots that want your blood heading this way, and you keep telling me I'm special, right?"

Rev seemed mad at Harper now, but only due to his stubbornness. "Then you leave me no choice, I will go and give you no choice but to stay, you will not be able to follow me in your current condition," Rev said with his own conviction. "Harper, I can not ask you, nor will I endanger you for a second time in so many days," Rev determined strongly.

"Stay," Harper grabbed hold of Rev's arm, preventing the Magog from leaving and showing his own conviction by making physical contact with the Magog, as he just stared at Rev for a moment. "These guys will not stop their pursuit of you, and I have a homing beacon inside of me with my data port, better chance of a rescue, Rommie will locate me quickly enough, right?"

"Master Harper I can not ask this of you," Rev protested, but he was giving Harper's words some thought.

"Now you have no choice," Harper responded with resignation. "And besides, Beka will kill me if anything happens to you," he spoke, and seconds later a group of young men appeared, and quickly surrounded them.

Rev stood beside Harper and his guilt now rose, knowing that the young human was as stubborn as they came but this time he felt that Harper was wrong, if he was indeed only doing this out of obligation to Beka.

End of Part 8


	9. Captured

Thanks for the reviews, oh and Paris the check is in the post he he

Part 9

"I have a bad feeling about this," Dylan paced command, and glanced at the equally worried features of Beka and Trance. "Last thing Harper said was that he'd be in touch, and then I received no signal from his port," he added.

"And he was asking you about Rev Bem?" Rommie checked.

"Wanted to know if and when he left the ship," Dylan remembered.

Beka crossed her arms. "We purposely didn't tell Harper that Rev had left the ship, we hoped that the not knowing would put him at ease, its not like they are attracted to the same areas on drifts."

"It is worrying that neither Harper nor Rev have been in touch since," Trance offered.

"Rev never stays out of contact for long, and he never leaves the ship for long periods of time," Beka agreed. "Something has happened, and I know it involves them both!" she fumed.

"They also are both carrying the virus that has plagued them for the past couple of days," Trance spoke with concern. "And they have both missed medicine boosts to counter it, they are not in danger but the regular medicine was helping to ease the symptoms."

"This R&R was supposed to help, not make things worse," Dylan sighed, as he rubbed his face.

"Dylan, Harper was not in the best frame of mind and I know he can hold grudges," Beka warned. "And Rev, well even I'm not sure about Rev right now, if he has one of his 'lost focus' episodes."

"We need to locate one or both of them and soon," Dylan instructed. "Tyr has already begun to search the drift, we should too."

* * *

Harper was forced to watch, unable to help as he fought against the restraints that held both his wrists and ankles tightly together. The floors and walls were cold inside the energy plant, but the air was heavy with heat, making the walls damp with condensation, soaking Harper as he leant against them.

Beyond him, he saw Rev who was equally restrained but hanging once again upside down from a great iron beam, a preferred way of restraining the Magog it seemed. The local yobs surrounded him, wielding weapons that they continuously hit him with, and Rev did little to defend himself from the attack, there was little Rev could really do but Harper's anger was boiling over.

All the negative thoughts he had had about Rev Bem over the past two days rapidly vanished, as he witnessed an unprovoked attack on someone that he knew, Magog or not, it didn't matter, and he knew Rev did not deserve this treatment. It hadn't been that long since Rev had received similar treatment from mindless idiots, the abandoned sick kids, and Harper began to wonder if this new Commonwealth really was such a great thing for Rev.

Harper's mind wandered to the moment when Rev had attacked him, that had also been unprovoked, Harper considered, remembering how the paralysing spray Rev had hit him with had almost killed him, but illness played the major factor there, this attack by the young goons was nothing but mindless.

"Rev!" Harper yelled out suddenly, hitting upon an idea. "Use your venom!"

"It would kill them, remember what it did before," Rev groggily and weakly returned, spinning slowly around, but Harper's advice had drawn attention back to him, and the gang members slowly turned.

"You help this thing?" A youngster asked, looking no older than eighteen.

"It's a Magog and you chose to help it?" another of the guys asked, Harper recognised this one as Piper, from the bar.

Harper avoided looking at the gang of young men, most probably his age and younger but from a very different background. "You wouldn't know a true Magog if it attacked you and made you have its babies!" Harper snapped angrily, testing his restraints once more.

Feeling his shirt being ripped as he was hurled to his feet, Harper was soon face to face with the gang's leader that he had been warned about, Barton. "Magog supporters have no place here, just like that stinking Magog."

"I am not a Magog supporter!" Harper returned with force.

"If that is true, why have you assisted this one?" Barton asked.

"He's different," Harper attempted to explain but a blow to his stomach soon stopped him, as he was dropped heavily to the floor gasping for breath. The gang of yobs soon began to kick Harper whilst he was down, despite Rev's pleas for them to stop. Harper defended his body as best he could with his hands tied behind his back, but the attack was ruthless, with blows connecting with his midriff, head and chest.

"Magog supporters will die like the filth they support," Barton now claimed, and he once again pulled Harper painfully to his feet, who now felt every kick, as he tasted the blood in his mouth. "We left this Magog to die, before he killed our own, but you rescued him, you're filth!" Barton stressed with genuine anger.

The drift yobs pushed Harper against the railing and secured his upper arms to it, preventing escape. Wearily Harper recovered his breath and composure, keeping an eye on the leader, who seemed to turn his attentions back to Rev whilst drawing out a knife.

Unable to do anything but watch, both Harper and Rev looked on as Barton took hold of Rev's hand, paying particular attention to his claws.

"How many people have died by these claws?" Barton asked Rev.

"Too many innocents," Rev spoke downcast.

Without hesitation the yob drew the knife and easily cut away one of Rev's claws, claiming it as a trophy that he paraded for all his fellow yobs to cheer. Harper looked away with disgust, but more in the realisation that he could associate with these mindless yobs and it saddened him to see so much of himself in these people, in their reaction to Rev. Gone were the days that he used to parade body parts of fallen Magog for all to cheer, skinning them for their fur to turn into winter coats or blankets to keep warm with.

Only, as Harper glanced once more at the celebrations, he knew that he had had more reason to do what he once did. The Magog he had helped kill in his past, that he had openly displayed and maybe even wore was a Magog that had tried to kill him, or to use him as a host, to be a mother to the next generation. Harper knew Rev had posed no threat to these yobs, and he knew that he had done the right thing in coming to Rev's aid, even if the Magog himself had objected.

"Rev, its ok, they'll be here soon," Harper yelled out, to support and comfort his ailing friend. "They'll find my signal," Harper begun and then stopped, as he suddenly remembered switching off the signal to prevent Dylan contacting him. "Crap!" Harper stressed under his breath, and he failed to notice Barton and his goon's attention turning back to him.

"Who will be here soon?"

"No one," Harper quickly answered, knowing it was the truth.

"Have you got a ship load of Magog on the way?" Barton continued, feeling threatened now. "Is that your job, do you work for the Magog? Did you alert this monster's friends to our game?"

"Game?" Harper snapped. "And even if I did it's the least you deserve, and trust me I don't say that freely!" he added with anger that even surprised him, and he knew that his illness was affecting him more now, knowing he would never wish Magog raids on any being regardless, when he was of sound mind.

Harper felt his jaw being grabbed, and he was forced to look into the eyes of Barton, quickly deducing that he was a little on the side of psycho, and he saw that Barton was holding the claw he had taken from Rev. Barton lightly stroked the claw down the side of Harper's face, and Harper calmed his breathing as he focused on Barton, and tried to ignore the fear that the sensation caused within him.

"Tell me where this signal is that you possess," Barton now asked calmly.

Not responding, Harper winced as he felt the claw dig into his skin, easily drawing blood down the side of his cheek.

"Tell me," Barton persisted, but Harper remained silent.

"It's the port," Rossi, his other lackey pointed out, who was standing at a better vantage point. With a grimace, Harper felt Barton locate the round disk in his neck, and closed his eyes as he felt it being roughly manhandled.

"I hear these things can hurt," Barton grinned now, as Harper remained silent with his eyes closed, feeling the claw now tapping the port. "When they are touched, prodded and hit," the yob declared and without hesitation he brought the flat palm of his hand down hard and sharply against the round disk in Harper's neck causing the human to scream out with the sudden sharp pain his actions had caused him, whilst feeling dizziness as the port reacted to the jarring motion inside of him. Barton kept his hand flat against the port, applying pressure to Harper's neck, aggravating the implant and Harper's senses to annoying and distracting levels.

The next thing Harper felt was the intense pain across his chest, in quick succession at Barton now used the claw to slash three clean cuts ripping through his white tee-shirt, quickly drawing blood and a pained cry from Harper.

"You still like Magog?"

End of part 9


	10. Into the Cauldron

Part 10

_"You still like Magog?"_

* * *

"You freaking idiot!" Harper yelled with pained anger. "I have never liked Magog, tell me, boy, how many of your family have been killed savagely by Magog, how many family have you been forced to kill because they have impregnated them?" Harper's frustration and pain drove his anger now. "How many times have you been forced to listen to their battle cries, as they rampage through your home, searching you out, being stricken by intense fear that freezes you to the spot and you prey to the divine without pause for breath that this is not your time," Harper sneered, his face red with anger as he now strained against the restraints that fixed him to the railings. "Tell me how many times!" he yelled with uncontrolled fury.

The yob backed away stunned at the anger and fury on display. "But you protect this Magog, I don't understand," Barton finally said, regaining some of his composure.

"Either do I, but I do," Harper returned, only slightly calmer. "Doesn't that tell you something, inside that pea brain of yours?"

Barton now hesitated before he approached Harper again, and began to undo the restraints that secured Harper to the railings, hauling him up to his feet. "We need to help you," Barton then spoke, to Harper's surprise.

"Help me?" Harper checked unsure, his expression pained as the movement made him more aware of the cuts across his chest now.

The yob motioned for Rev to be lowered and soon Rev stood alone secured in chains, but circled by the many young men that had captured him. "We need to remind you that a Magog is a Magog," the yob declared.

Harper began to struggle but he was now being held by at least two people. "I do not need that particular lesson!" Harper yelled, but couldn't stop Barton from cutting away the blood soaked tee shirt from him, and taking it in pieces from his body, wiping it a few times across the fresh cuts across his chest to be certain the ruined tee shirt was generously represented by his fresh blood.

Barton then took the bloodied cloth and approached the restrained and passive Magog, and with only a small amount of fear Barton put the cloth to Rev's face.

Rev had watched Harper's exchange with interest, and had never before heard the young human share his intense experience of the Magog so vividly, with so much passion or hatred. It hadn't been a shock, it was a story he had heard from many people many times, but coming from Harper it had been a sadness that he had felt, knowing Harper as he did.

Only now there was the smell of blood, Harper's blood, and Rev had never been tested like this before, purposely. It smelt so rich and fresh, and Rev's inner hunger taunted the Magog now from within. The illness had already weakened Rev, and his focus was not as strong as it should be because of this, and for reasons only he knew.

It didn't help Rev that Harper's raised anger, due in part to his own suffering with the illness, now was mixed with the human's intense emotions of pain and fear that Barton had evoked. That mixed with the closeness of the blood that Rev could smell, so close that Rev could almost taste it on the cloth, became too much and he couldn't help but instinctively growl in desire.

"You hear that stranger?" Barton now taunted Harper. "He's hungry, and he doesn't care that you saved him."

"You are wrong," Rev quickly focused, recovering his senses for a moment. "I do not desire anything but to learn more on the teachings of the way."

Harper however, had noticeably paled on hearing Rev's reactions to his blood, his instinctive nervousness rose and Rev couldn't help but notice the change in scent. If Rev had thought too deeply, he could have almost mistaken Harper's reaction for one of offering themselves to the Magog, with so many tempting scents, and Harper being so rich in scent now it was all Rev could do to shake away those thoughts knowing that it wasn't true and he now fought those instinctive primal feelings and justifications that drove his kind.

"You," Barton glared at Rev. "You are here to infect us all, and I can not allow that to happen," he declared triumphantly, before turning to Harper. "And you, poor misguided fool, you threaten us with more Magog, and you wish us to be infected, I can also not let that happen."

"I wouldn't wish that on my worse enemy, and you don't even come close to that status," Harper stated tiredly now, his energy waning, but still unsure as he remained staring at Rev with doubt.

"We wish you no harm," Rev supported Harper's words.

"Lock them both in the viewing chamber," the yob ordered. "Let's have some fun."

Harper and Rev were roughly pushed forward and led to a large iron door, which opened only after four men each took a handle to pull. Harper felt the restraints around his wrists and ankles being removed, and saw Rev was also being freed, before being pushed into the chamber along with Rev. The door closed heavily behind them both, they were free of their chains, but now in a metallic walled room, possibly a store room, with no windows and only the one heavy door. The darkness was brief, as lights suddenly flickered on engulfing them, and Harper spotted a sort of viewing gallery all around them above, with railings, where the goons now all fought for good viewing positions.

"What the hell are they expecting?" Harper asked with confusion, turning to Rev who with his head bowed appeared to be ignoring him. "Rev?"

"Please, Master Harper keep far away from me," Rev requested quietly, backing away from the human.

Harper didn't need another warning and quickly backed away in the opposite direction, as far as he could from Rev Bem. Reaching the cold wall, Harper rested against it for the moment until he felt objects being thrown down upon him, culminating in hot liquid and he was forced to move away from the wall.

"Hey, haven't you losers got something better to do!" Harper yelled loudly, and found that he was ducking for cover as rocks and other objects were soon thrown down in response. "Ow!" Harper darted around to avoid the flying objects, before he was finally floored by something hard hitting the side of his head.

"Harper!" Rev called out on seeing the young human being targeted and then collapsing to the floor, but there was little either of them could do, as the rocks continued to fall but Rev had no choice but to hurry to Harper's side to try and assist.

"The Magog shows concern for his friend!" Barton yelled with amusement, and more objects rained down on them both.

"Harper?" Rev spoke, deflected as much of the junk as he could to protect the human.

"I'm ok," Harper shakily spoke, and Rev saw fresh blood on the boy's temple where he'd been hit. "We have to get out of here," Harper stressed now, and then stared at Rev wide eyed, as the Magog stared back at him.

"It's ok," Rev simply spoke looking away, seeing the concern and fear on Harper's features.

"Good," Harper allowed himself some breaths, as he attempted to recover pushing himself up to sitting position, really feeling his illness and the beating now.

"Your signal, will it work here?" Rev questioned, seeming agitated as he settled down to sit on the floor, being sure to keep a respectful distance from Harper.

"Not sure, I don't think so," Harper explained, as he glanced around at the high structure. "We're surrounded by metals that will interfere with the signal."

"Then we have to hope they get bored very soon," Rev looked up to see the drift's yobs still cheering and celebrating their capture.

"They want to see you in action," Harper adjusted his sitting position now, risking a glance upwards noting the objects were no longer being thrown, before looking at Rev.

"If you are suggesting," Rev began.

"Hell, no way!" Harper backed away slightly, showing sudden concern again.

"I'm glad to hear it," Rev offered defensively. "As much as I consider you a friend, I sincerely do not want to go all the way with you," he added, and offered a Magog smile that didn't help Harper's nerves.

"I'm not ready to be a mother either," Harper attempted to joke softly, but his uncertainty was still clear to see, as he kept the distance between them. "Rev, you told me to stay away," he then added.

"My focus is not at its best," Rev attempted to explain. "Your blood," he simply gestured to Harper's open wounds, scattered across his chest and now his head and arms from the latest onslaught.

Harper slowly backed further away. "I'm not feeling too great either," Harper tried to sound reassuring. "I feel tired, I don't know why but I also feel a little drunk, and I haven't had a drop for other two hours at least," Harper complained, rubbing his face, as he moved to a crossed legged sitting position so he could rest his head in his hands.

"One of the objects that hit your head might have given you slight concussion, I suspect the one that caught you on the temple, it's bleeding heavily," Rev offered.

"Will you quit checking out my blood?" Harper lightly snapped, without looking up, still with his head resting in his hands.

"It's in my nature, I can not help it," Rev frowned, and looked upwards knowing the yobs were quiet, and for a reason. "I don't think this is over," Rev frowned.

Harper glanced up. "They won't be happy until I'm infested with Magog eggs," he stated with bitterness.

"Then they'll be very disappointed, wont they?" Rev assured the human, but Harper's eyes gave away his doubt, as he nervously avoided Rev's stare now. "Master Harper I have no desire to procreate at this time."

"What?" Harper questioned now with shock that Rev had even mentioned it, but he soon relaxed with a bitter smile, as he relaxed on seeing Rev was not the threat his imagination would have him believe. "I'm not good enough for you?" he then asked, attempting humour once again, as he struggled to appear comfortable.

"I'd like to have taller children than myself," Rev mocked.

"I guess I should be grateful for that," Harper smirked, but still kept his distance as the tension remained between them. "What do you think they'll do?"

"I can not determine that," Rev answered gravely.

Harper grimaced, and held his arms around him tightly. He was feeling the effects now of his prolonged fever, plus the blood loss he was suffering. "Do you think anyone has noticed we're missing?"

"I would think they have," Rev responded, and Harper noticed for the first time how weak the Magog was looking now. "And I would also believe that they will fear the worse between us."

"What?" Harper answered with distraction, caught out by Rev's reply.

"We have not exactly been very talkative towards each other lately, and my actions against you have caused great concern within the crew," Rev revealed.

"I keep getting the vibe that they think I've going to up and leave," Harper admitted, holding himself tighter now.

"They fear it with good reason," Rev offered. "I attacked you, and you'd have every reason to no longer feel safe on the Andromeda."

"Are you kidding?" Harper objected strongly. "I feel safest on the Andromeda, look what happens when I'm off it!" he added, gesturing to their predicament. "And why should I leave, you attacked me remember?" he complained.

"You are right," Rev agreed. "And I have considered it."

"I don't mean you should," Harper was quick to correct himself, still avoiding eye contact. "It's just, you know?" he tried to explain, but failed.

"You wish to stop running?" Rev pre-empted.

Harper took a deep breath. "The Andromeda is the best thing that happened to me, and before that it was the Maru," he explained with care. "I didn't care that you were Magog, I didn't like it and hell it took a lot of freaking getting use to, but the alternative was a hell of a lot more of you, who wouldn't be so quick to try and at least get to know me," he sighed heavily, rubbing his face once more. "But Rev, the Andromeda is the best thing that's happened to you too, and the safest place," he gestured madly to their surroundings. "So, let's just forget what happened," he offered, finally looking at Rev sincerely. "I'm tired of this tension, and this freaking illness," he complained further.

"You find things easier to forget than I," Rev frowned. "And I fear I have lost Beka's confidence, I may have no choice but to leave," he added gravely.

"Rev, you were ill and I shouldn't have crept up on you, hell I know better than that, first rule, don't creep up on Magog," Harper stressed. "Beka would never push you away, never, she's your biggest fan," Harper added with conviction.

"What happened wasn't in any way your fault, Harper," Rev protested lightly. "And maybe I have misread Beka's mood, but she was unable to talk to me when she brought me to this place and I have never had problems like that previously."

"Rev," Harper whined now. "Things are just a bit jumpy right now, she'll get over it, Beka doesn't, well she does hold grudges, but not with family, well maybe Rafe, but you get my point?" he asked, forgetting it himself.

"I will try to forget, if that is what you wish," Rev conceded but his attention, and Harper's were quickly drawn to the doors that suddenly opened, and a group of ten yobs carrying sticks walked in.

Both Harper and Rev quickly got to their feet, backing away side by side as the young hooligans approached.

"You're friendship is compelling," Barton spoke in a sneer, as they circled them both. "I'm almost convinced that this monster is different from the rest."

"Good," Harper exclaimed enthusiastically. "Because I can assure you from first hand experience that it's true."

"I need more convincing however," the leader spoke directly to Harper. "You have displayed fear towards him, even though you claim him a friend."

"No, no," Harper insisted now. "Me and Rev, we go back a long way," he stressed, cursing his own insecurities, having realised his earlier doubts must have been obvious when they had first been left in this room.

All around them the chanting grew stronger from the others still looked down on them from above, as they used whatever they could find to hit the metal walls, increasing the intimidating atmosphere.

"Look, I'm not a Magog fan ok, I got demons like everyone else, and for freaks sake can't you just accept that this Magog is ok, hell if I can accept him, anyone can!" Harper now yelled just to be heard over the noise.

"Master Harper I fear the time for debate and discussion has passed," Rev advised him, and moved slightly in front of the human, as the pack closed in around them, wielding their weapons.

End of part 10


	11. Losing the fight

Part 11

Beka slumped down on the chair, and glanced around at Tyr, Dylan, Trance and Rommie. "Waste of time," she simply conceded.

"No luck?" Dylan checked.

"It's as if they never existed, but I know this drift is hiding something," Beka vented with frustration.

"We had reached the same conclusion," Tyr agreed. "However, we shouldn't dismiss that they may genuinely not know the whereabouts of our wayward crew members."

"What you are suggesting Tyr is that Rev or Harper have somehow taken their feud or whatever it is between them, if anything, to the next level," Beka stated with obvious concern, and confusion. "But I'm sorry, neither of them have enough to go on to even begin to justify that, regardless of what happened, right?" she looked to Dylan to find support, but he offered none.

"Both of them are a little unpredictable at the moment," Dylan shrugged.

"The Magog nearly killed Harper not two days ago, and half his family were killed because of the beasts," Tyr corrected.

"Yeah, well the Nietzscheans did their fair share too, I don't see Harper running amok after you," Beka snapped and got to her feet. "Harper is crazy, that I'll admit to, but crazy enough to take on a Magog, even Rev?" she questioned. "He's crazy, not stupid and why are we assuming that Harper might be the one inciting trouble here?"

"They are both still suffering the effects of that illness," Tyr argued.

"Both their illnesses are in decline," Trance now stepped forward and pointed out. "And with respect, if I feared that either were at threat from the remaining symptoms I would never have granted them leave from the ship," she added softly but with conviction, her tail gently moving from side to side as attention focused on her for a moment.

"I think the priority here is to find them," Dylan now spoke with authority.

"Dylan is right," Rommie agreed.

"Are you programmed to always agree with him?" Beka asked with agitation, still riled by the suggestions as she saw them, that Harper was the threat.

"Harper programmed me, maybe if we put some more effort into finding him I can ask him," Rommie returned pointedly.

"Let's just focus, as one," Dylan requested with a sigh, before Beka could respond to Rommie. "Tyr, Trance, go to the bars and just listen, if this community knows anything it's bound to come up," he frowned. "Beka, Rommie lets focus on the scans, Harper's port should be coming up as some sort of signal, maybe we're missing something obvious that is right under our nose," he gestured to the monitor.

Without another word the crew acted on Dylan's orders and resumed their search for the missing crew mates.

* * *

"Listen to me!" Harper now raised his voice louder, as he backed away behind Rev. "If this Magog really was a threat you'd all be dead or dying by now with a stomach full of baby Magog!" he stressed.

"Magog are Magog, and we are not going to hang around to find out if you're right or wrong," Barton sneered in return. "Are you hungry, Magog?"

Rev didn't respond, as he continued to partially shield Harper from the crowd, but the yobs had them surrounded and they soon found themselves back to back, with no where to go.

"Answer me, Magog, are you hungry?" Barton asked.

"Hunger is not a factor for me," Rev answered in a low gravely voice.

"Hunger is always a factor with Magog," Barton yelled in return.

"For someone with little to no experience with Magog, you sure make out like you know them," Harper snapped angrily, losing his patience.

"Shut up, we have read reports, we know our facts," Barton objected. "We don't want his kind, or yours, Magog supporter filth, on this drift!"

Harper smirked again, shaking his head; he'd been called many things in his time but never anything as ridiculous as that. Barton made to lunge towards Harper but a wave of Rev's clawed hand stopped him momentarily.

"You touch the human, and I will be forced to defend him," Rev warned.

"We're counting on that," Barton quickly composed himself, returning to a cocky stance. "I must say, when we caught ourselves a Magog, I really didn't think it would be this much fun, we should thank you Magog for bringing your pet along."

Rev this time reached out and stopped Harper reacting angrily to the leader's jibe, but his clawed hands around his human colleague caused Harper to turn his anger on Rev. "Don't freaking touch me!" Harper impulsively yelled at Rev, and then heard the yobs cheer.

"Well, well, all is not so well between the Magog and his best pal," Barton smiled, and Harper took some calming breaths.

"I'm sorry, Harper, but wasting your anger on these people will do you no favours," Rev was only focused on Harper now.

"They are fools," Harper said with frustration, attempting to control his anger.

"Your illness is flaming your anger now," Rev warned him, seeing the signs of a temperature and the tiredness. Harper was not holding up well, his wounds still seeped blood and there was a light sheen covering him.

"Illness?" Barton now questioned.

"Yeah, I'm freaking ill, and its contagious," Harper grinned, taunting the leader.

"Harper," Rev chastised him.

"Rev," Harper whined, knowing the Magog had destroyed his quickly thought plan just by objecting to his little white lie.

"You two are better than the circus freaks I used to hear so much about," Barton now grinned with amusement, and his cohorts, Rossi and Piper, with the rest of the gang now laughed with him and began to make more noise. "But now I've had enough," Barton moved quickly in gesturing to his men and Harper found himself secured suddenly by two sets of hands, holding him tightly.

Rev wanted to react but Barton had moved himself behind where Harper stood, and Rev knew that whilst none of the gang were brave enough to attempt to secure him in the same way as Harper, especially not in such a close environment as this, they would have no problem using Harper as a shield should he chose to attack Barton, the one who called the shots.

"You seem to be a Magog of honour," Barton now surmised. "Telling off your pet for attempting to lie," he added, shaking his head, now holding the severed claw taken from Rev earlier, and pressing it into Harper's neck, causing the human to control his breathing, frozen with fear. "Promise me you won't kill me, or any of my men, and I won't kill your little friend."

"I'm not his freaking pet!" Harper sneered, and then grimaced as the claw was pressed deeper causing Harper distress but so far failing to draw blood.

Rev considered the man's request, and then with composure he bowed his head. "You have my word that I will not kill you, or your men," Rev agreed.

"Rev, don't make promises like that!" Harper complained, as the claw was removed from his throat.

"This can still be resolved without loss of life, Master Harper," Rev advised calmly.

Harper didn't look convinced as they still held him firmly, and he was unable to shake free of their hold. Barton walked around to face Harper, now safe in the knowledge that the Magog wouldn't kill him, but still keeping an eye on the beast that he saw, fearful of him.

"Tell your friend you're ok," Barton now spoke, and Harper returned a confused expression as the yob stood in front of him, blocking him from Rev's view. Then Harper felt the sharp claw, like a knife, against his stomach.

Unable to do anything, as the hold the others had on him became even tighter, Harper began to try and struggle.

"Harper?" Rev sensed that there was more going on.

"Tell him," Barton ordered with more force.

"Go to hell," Harper snapped, and then gagged as he felt the sharp claw being driven into his stomach with ease, in a swift motion.

"Tell him," the yob grinned now.

Harper gasped a painful breath, the sharp pain momentarily stunning him as he felt the claw deep inside, and the warm blood now covering his stomach.

"I can smell fresh blood," Rev then spoke up, with hesitation on seeing Harper's sudden panicked expression with the Magog's declaration. "I warned you," he then added.

With a sudden cry of pain, the leader removed the claw sharply, and then reached forward preventing Harper collapsing to the floor as his legs buckled, taking a firm hold of the weakening human. Barton then presented Harper to Rev, using the human as protection against the Magog attacking.

"You promised," Barton reminded the beast. "But tell me do you smell that?" The yob now questioned. "Are you hungry?"

Harper closed his eyes, unable to look at Rev knowing he was covered in his own fresh blood now. "Rev, wouldn't hurt me," Harper managed to speak finally, but his voice lacked conviction.

"He sure looks hungry to me," Barton indicated.

Opening his eyes slightly, Harper was horrified to see Rev had come closer, rather than backed away. There was a vacant look on Rev's face, almost like a need and Harper was unable to breath for a moment. "Rev, fight it, fight the illness, please," he pleaded now, but found that Barton was now pushing him nearer to the Magog. "Let me go!" Harper yelled out in panic, as he tried to vainly struggle.

"For my actions against you, Harper," Rev now spoke with a voice lacking emotion. "I punished myself by fasting," he finally revealed his true struggle. "I thought I could fight it."

"Rev, don't do this," Harper stressed now, breathing quickly, as Rev tentatively reached out to Harper.

"Harper," Rev's gruff voice was breaking as his resolve weakened.

Harper put all his energy in getting Barton's attention. "Look, crap for brains," Harper looked back at the yob, as best he could. "Do you think he'd stop with me?" he stressed, taking some more breaths and trying to ignore the claws that now hovered close to him. "I've never seen Rev this bad, if he kills me, he won't stop there, you're right, he's a Magog remember?" he warned with panic, as much as he hated his captors right now, he wasn't prepared to be any part of a Magog bloodbath like he'd witnessed in his past. "Let's just all get the hell out of here till he's gets better!"

For the first time Barton seemed to listen, but instead of completely following Harper's advice, Harper found himself instead being pushed forward as the leader yelled for his men to clear the room, and before Harper could react he found himself colliding straight into Rev Bem, sending them both crashing towards the ground.

It took less than ten seconds for the room to be cleared as Harper and Rev fell awkwardly, landing in a tangled heap. There was silence now, and Harper was frozen with fear on his back, as Rev instinctively rolled and pinned the human to the deck, his claws dangerous close to Harper's neck as his hands pressed against his chest. For a long moment they just stared at each other, as if sizing each other up.

The expression wasn't Rev's normal look, Harper realised, as he looked into the eyes of an instinctive beast. The expectation of being once again sprayed with the paralysing venom was high now, as Harper grimaced and closed his eyes to the inevitable.

End of part 11


	12. Hope in Faith

Part 12

_The expression wasn't Rev's normal look, Harper realised, as he looked into the eyes of an instinctive beast. The expectation of being once again sprayed with the paralysing venom was high now, as Harper grimaced and closed his eyes to the inevitable._

"I," Rev began to speak, but then sniffed the air that was now so strong with the scent of fear, as he struggled to contain his inbred instincts.

Harper couldn't speak, and his eyes were now unfocused as his fear took him to his darkest place. He could smell, and feel Magog, the fur taunted his bare skin, as the claws heightened his sensitive and pained skin. He felt Rev's hand resting against wounds already inflicted earlier, imagined it touching his blood and then Rev admiring his injuries like some trophy.

"I can't fight this," Rev then spoke uneasily, blinded by his instincts and not seeing Harper for who he was, but what he was.

Above them the crowd were silent bar a few cries of encouragement, and they were transfixed now, seeing the Magog turn on the one man who seemed prepared stand up to save him.

"No!" Harper suddenly seemed to snap, and tried to fight Rev's hold on him. "Rev! Fight it, fight your hunger! Remember your pain belongs to the divine, repeat after me, your pain belongs to the divine!" Harper yelled frantically in his last gasp at survival, his own movements causing him more pain as he was caught by Rev's claws that continued to pin him down but he didn't care, as his own past instincts began to kick in with his life under threat.

"So hungry," Rev said in almost a daze.

"Rev, that's what you say right, that your pain belongs to the divine, it is like air, it is like water, right?" Harper shouted now, losing his own focus with his own determination as he continued to frantically struggle, but as Rev's hold failed to shift, Harper suddenly relaxed slumping back. Closing his eyes to his fate momentarily, as the tears threatened to fall down the sides of his face and Harper finally looked upwards with despair, but also with a strange calm. "Why did I have to be there when Rev lost the faith," he whined, as the fight left him and he stopped the struggle.

"Harper," Rev suddenly spoke, seeing Harper relax beneath him.

"Rev, just say it," Harper took some deep breaths, finding some shreds of hope in Rev's voice.

"My pain belongs to the divine, it is like air, it is like water," Rev slowly spoke, and his grip on Harper lessened, and was then soon removed, as he backed away with haste.

Harper quickly pushed himself up, backing away in the opposite direction, breathing heavily now as his adrenaline kept him alert, and then he glanced at the door. Barton was transfixed at that point, until he saw what had caught Harper's attention, and quickly acted.

"Secure that damn door!" the yob yelled, and in their sudden need to leave, the yobs had failed to properly shut the heavy door properly.

Without another thought, Harper scurried to his feet. "Rev come on, I need you now," he stressed urgently.

"Harper, I'm not sure," Rev showed his doubt and confusion.

"Just come on!" Harper insisted, but hesitated before reaching forward and pulling the Magog to his feet, risking being so close once again. "I trust you," Harper then spoke to reassure Rev, and the words had the desired affect as Rev found his feet and they both hurried forward to the door moments before the yobs reached it. "Rev, smile for our friends," Harper ordered, and all too soon they were watching very fast retreating young men, and pushing the door wide enough to enable them to escape.

"We need more than my smile to get out of here," Rev warned, as they quickly hurried along the walkways of the energy plant.

Harper didn't respond immediately, and it didn't go unnoticed by Rev, the human then abruptly slowed down to walking pace. "I can't go much further," Harper panted heavily now, leaning on the hand rail as he tried to continue to move. "I feel like crap, what about you?" Harper asked wearily, now barely managing walking pace.

"Why do we attempt to escape if you are unable to?" Rev questioned with concern.

"Just needed free of that room," Harper gestured, as they found a small alcove a short distance away, and Harper rapidly collapsed into a sitting position. "Now my hands are free," he offered and touched his port. "I can reactivate the signal," he frowned, knowing the Magog was learning something he should have known all along.

"It wasn't activated?" Rev questioned quickly, the whole reason he hadn't run before to save Harper, was due to the human claiming the signal would save them both.

"It's activated now, that's what counts right?" Harper gestured with a painful shrug, as he sank further to the ground, holding his stomach where his wounds hurt the most.

"The young men have left the compound," Rev then announced, sniffing the air.

"Don't tell me how you know that," Harper requested tiredly, knowing he didn't want to be reminded of the Magog's instinctive skills and then he looked at Rev with sadness. "Rev, was there really a chance you might have attacked me back there?"

"You would prefer it if I didn't answer that just yet," Rev could only answer, and Harper noticed the distance between him and the Magog now. "I have no desire, but I am still suffering with the illness, and I may have misjudged my decision too quickly at this time."

"Please, Rev, for your own sake just leave me here and get the hell away from me, because I don't want to be a part of your downfall," Harper wearily requested, as he fought consciousness. "Please?"

"Harper, out of the two of us you showed the greater faith back there, in reminding me of mine, in showing me the way," Rev simply said. "You are right, I can't stay here with you, not with the instincts that I fight, I am not well and can not be trusted," he determined with regret, his voice low and troubled and he knew this time Harper would not be able to stop him. "Beka will find you of that I have no doubt," Rev stated fondly, but keeping his distance, as he looked around with anxiety, and then he hurried off.

"Yeah," Harper responded with little awareness. "I knew you wouldn't eat me," he murmured before losing consciousness.

* * *

"It's back," Rommie suddenly declared, walking beside Beka and Dylan along the darkened streets of the drift. "Harper's signal, loud and clear," she added, closing her eyes to get a location. "The main power compound, underground, the signal is stationary."

"Let's go," Dylan ordered with urgency, and they began to run the short distance.

* * *

He vaguely heard their shouts, but he was comfortable now and the thought of yelling back didn't appeal, he was too tired. He felt drunk, his head heavy as it rested against the wall, all he wanted to do was sleep but the pain in his head was preventing a restful escape, and he'd been drifting in and out of consciousness for a short while.

Suddenly he was aware of someone putting their hand on his arm, and he tried to focus, seeing Beka and Rommie now kneeling down beside him. Their mouths moving but he was having trouble recognising the words they spoke. Concentrating, he soon picked up that Beka seemed angry, and finally her words began to make sense.

"Did Rev do this to you?" she demanded.

Harper desperately wanted to answer, but the tiredness that threatened finally took him, and darkness overcame him.

End of part 12


	13. Understanding

Thankies for the comments! Very appreciated and I hope you enjoy the rest!

Part 13

With a start he felt himself being carried, and it had been the bumpy ride that had stirred him back to consciousness. Immediately he struggled, and felt those carrying him put him down with haste.

"Harper?" Beka's concerned voice spoke quickly.

The memories rushed back with force, and he tried to get up but felt hands stopping him. The local gang, the yobs, were out there, and he needed to check that Rev had returned, Harper now remembered Rev moving away sounding as though he wasn't intending to return and he'd been too weak to stop him.

"Rev," Harper finally gasped.

"He's not here, its ok!" Beka stressed as she strongly held Harper, mistaking his panic.

"Where is he?" Harper asked, breathing heavily.

"Not here, calm down, it's ok now, you're safe," Beka insisted with concern.

"No!" Harper managed, but exhaustion was threatening him again, and he was unable to shake Beka's hold from him.

"Relax, Harper, please," Beka pleaded and her words coincided with Harper collapsing back in her hold as he lost his focus once more.

Beka held him in a tight embrace, not letting go and fearing how she had interpreted his reaction. Inside Harper felt frustration at being unable to focus enough to remain coherent, cursing his depleted energy, and desperately wanting to speak so he could tell them the truth. Tell them that Rev was in danger whilst the yobs were still on the loose, but he had failed and only succeeded in making the situation seem a lot worse as he unwillingly closed his eyes to the darkness.

* * *

Rev Bem remained out of sight, silently praying to the divine for guidance as the local gang continued to look for him, baying for his blood and his death. They had spotted him not long after leaving the energy works compound, and they had given chase. Rev had got lucky, having lost them momentarily, and long enough to find the hiding spot where he now hid in silent prayer.

Even in his plight, Rev's thoughts remained with Harper and he prayed that the others had found him quickly, knowing the boy was weak, and suffering the effects of his ill treatment by the gang, and the ongoing illness. Rev couldn't recall a time he had seen Harper looking weaker, even with the radiation poisoning he had seen more colour in the boys complexion than he now had.

Closing his eyes, Rev tried to banish the lingering thoughts that remained about Harper. He could still smell the blood, some of which had been caught on his fur from the cloth the yob had taunted him with, but most of it was trapped in his mind. Never before had he considered Harper as anything else but a friend and colleague, but now there were these alien thoughts that went deeper into his psyche, and it was these thoughts that he worked hard at quashing before they became too vibrant in his natural need.

'Fight the hunger' Rev mentally instructed himself, but his food supply was far from here on the Andromeda and his fasting was now working against him. He had to stop thinking of those thoughts he had been forced to have, to stop thinking like a Magog and more like a civilised being. Rev had made himself leave Harper behind, even though sick and in need of his help, Rev could not have stayed, and it was for the boys own sake that he had done that. That simple fact concerned him more than anything he had had to face since finding the way.

"By the divine please help me," Rev murmured with determination. "I wish no harm to any being, I need guidance, please help me," he pleaded to the nights air.

* * *

Beka paced the small space on the Maru that now doubled as a makeshift infirmary. Trance was busy administering various drugs and checking Harper's readings.

Looking up, Trance attempted a reassuring smile. "It's ok, Beka, the main symptom is just exhaustion, and some mild blood loss."

"Ok?" Beka checked. "Those marks, Trance, are not ok!" she snapped, gesturing to Harper's clawed chest. "That stab wound is not ok!" she added with anger, seeing the deep wound in Harper's stomach.

"We can not jump to conclusions," Trance warned.

"Who's jumping?" Beka demanded. "Magog claws did those marks and damage, Trance, and there's only one Magog in this vicinity!"

"Still," Trance attempted to reason, her tail shifted anxiously by her feet. "Rev is our friend, is Harper's friend and it doesn't seem right to me that he could do this," she offered, avoiding Beka's glare.

"I would usually be agreeing with you, but you saw him, Trance, you saw Harper display that raw fear when he was barely conscious and those injuries speak for themselves," Beka explained, a little calmer. "Rev has been consumed by this illness, Trance, and we have to accept that maybe we've lost the Rev we knew."

"We should also accept that there may be a good explanation for this," Trance tried again to be reasonable.

"How can anything good be said about this?" Beka stressed. "Maybe you should forget being so concerned about Rev for a moment and think of Seamus," Beka now spoke evenly. "His worse nightmare is Magog, he fears them like nothing else and Rev knew this, and that makes what we see now just despicable."

"Beka, Harper is not seriously injured," Trance shrugged.

"Maybe not physically," Beka countered, and then looked troubled as her hand ran through her hair. "But I'm looking at him now, looking like this and I feel like crap, ok?" Beka snapped. "This is my fault because I made him work with Rev, to trust Rev, and look where that's got him."

"These marks and cuts, they aren't life threatening like Magog inflicted injuries usually are, and there's something about them that doesn't make sense," Trance spoke with confusion with her eyes fixed on the injuries that she still needed to tend to, but lacked the belief in her words to be taken seriously.

Beka in turn took no comfort from Trance, "Look if you're serious about doing medicine, Trance, then you should remember that not all injury is skin deep," she added with conviction before moving to the exit. "I'll be with Dylan and Tyr if you need me," she stressed, leaving the tense room and Trance to tend to the rest of the wounds.

* * *

Dylan could tell Beka was not in the mood to talk; her actions were abrupt as she prepped the Maru, but he needed to speak to her.

"Beka, we can't leave," Dylan stated.

"On my ship, I call the shots and I say we're leaving," Beka stressed. "We have Harper, and now we get the hell out of here."

"Stop for a moment," Dylan requested, as he moved down beside the pilots chair. "Rev is still a member of our crew, and he sounds like he needs help."

"Has everyone forgotten about Harper?" Beka snapped angrily, turning to face Dylan.

"No one has forgotten about Harper," Dylan returned strongly. "But you have forgotten about Rev, the same Rev that just a few months ago you were convincing me to have on my crew."

"Yeah, I'm the universes biggest fool," Beka stressed, looking around.

"No, Beka," Dylan insisted now. "But you will be if you abandon Rev Bem now."

Beka took a deep breath. "He abandoned us the moment that he attacked Harper."

"We should give him a chance," Dylan requested firmly.

"A chance for what?" Beka questioned harshly. "To attack us too?"

"Beka!" Dylan snapped now. "This is Rev Bem we are talking about, not some mindless Magog!" Dylan stressed with conviction. "Now I might not have known any of you for very long, but I thought I at least knew you to be fair, and you have asked me to trust you on so many things and now you throw that trust in my face?" Dylan questioned with controlled anger.

Beka looked away as Dylan continued. "Are you telling me that your assurances of 'trust me' have been nothing more than flaky promises, that you don't really trust any of your crew?" Dylan asked with shocked surprise. "Maybe I should leave Trance and Harper behind too, because I'm not sure if I can trust your judgement any more!"

Beka glared at Dylan, and hated that his words were affecting her like they were. Taking a moment to compose her response, Beka realised that she was letting her emotions control her actions and she relaxed, as she powered down the Maru.

With sigh she finally looked back to Dylan. "I'm sorry," she frowned. "I just take one of my crew beating on another badly, ok?" she offered. "Many a crew member has been sent packing for not playing along nicely."

"And how many of those ex-crew members were sent packing because of their reaction to Rev?" Dylan questioned, but didn't wait for any answer. "Beka, all that we are going on here is what we are seeing, we have no actual proof of what actually happened," Dylan explained.

Beka was about to argue when she remembered Trance's words. "Trance said something about Harper's injuries not making sense," Beka offered with distraction, as her calmer mind put things into perspective.

"How so?" Dylan asked with interest.

"She wasn't sure, the ironic thing is we need Rev here to do this stuff, Trance is still learning," Beka gestured with an amused then sad smile. "But she seemed to find something confusing," she shrugged. "I just never thought to question what."

"Let's give ourselves a few more hours here to just get the whole picture before we make any decisions that we might regret later," Dylan said softly, and Beka began to nod her head.

"Thanks," Beka offered as she released the pilot restraints, no longer in a hurry to leave. "I'm just so mad at Rev right now that," Beka tried to think of the words. "It's just personal ok, Rev has always been my rock, we looked out for each other so many times," Beka sighed, as Dylan but his arm around her shoulders for comfort. "But now," she didn't find the words to finish.

"We all look out for each other, for all our crew," Dylan simply said as he walked with Beka back to where Trance was working.

End of part 13


	14. What Happened?

Part 14

It was a grimace, and then a groan before Harper opened his eyes and immediately closed them again.

"Seamus?" Trance spoke quickly, on seeing her friend wake.

"Hey," Harper managed before grimacing again.

"Head ache?" Trance asked.

Harper blinked his eyes and took a deep breath, before looking at Trance. "Can you knock me out again?" he wearily asked.

"Harper, you know that's not good medical practice," Trance spoke seriously.

"You're not qualified, you'd get away with it," Harper stated. "Please?" he now pleaded.

"Tell me about the pain," Trance requested, holding a scanner to him.

"Ow?" Harper offered.

"Is it just your head?" Trance persisted.

"You want more?" Harper asked, but saw Trance was waiting. "Yes, just the head, man it's killing me, hang on," he paused. "Stomach too," he added as his hand moved to the dressing that now covered the puncture wound made by Barton.

"This should help," Trance offered as she pressed an injector to his neck.

"Ow, careful with that thing," Harper complained wearily. "Trance, you know that I love your purpleness a lot but you really have to work on making the patient feel more comfortable," Harper offered through the pain.

"If Rev was here then," Trance stopped herself quickly, and then glanced at Harper to check his reaction and saw that he was simply staring back at her.

"Rev," Harper repeated, then closed his eyes as the headache began to fade and he tried to think.

"Harper I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned," Trance began but Harper quickly cut her off.

"No," Harper spoke, and attempted to sit up but a wave of dizziness stopped him. "I don't remember, it was right there but now it's gone, whatever it was," he then added with confusion, resting back again with his breathing rapid.

"Calm down, please," Trance requested fondly.

"I was in a bar," Harper remembered. "These guys, yobs I think they were called, they were shouting," he stressed, his body tensing. "Why don't I remember?" he asked with anger. "What happened, do you know?" he asked with slight desperation.

"We found you alone, we're not sure what happened, you were only partially conscious, and you were exhausted and beaten," Trance offered softly, without saying anymore about his injuries. "Don't force the memories," Trance was concerned now by the state Harper was working himself up into.

"Rev was involved," Harper spoke quietly now, and more to himself as he stared intently at the overhead.

"You must have had a concussion," Trance stated now, as she rechecked her scanner. "You don't remember being hit?" she ventured, a little weary of where it might lead, and the state Harper was already in.

Harper was already shaking his head. "I don't remember anything," he said with frustration. "Not after being sat at the bar."

Looking down at his chest he finally saw the healing scars that were fading fast due to the nanobots work. The confusion was clear in Harper's expression, as he glanced at Trance. "Who did this?" he then shakily asked.

Trance hesitated. "We don't know for sure," she spoke with care, and with Harper's stare still cutting into her she felt obliged to continue. "But we suspect it might have been Rev," she added, her tail now wrapping protectively around her legs.

"Rev did this to me?" Harper checked, and considered the possibility for a moment, before he slowly began to shake his head. "No, I don't think he did."

"You don't?" Trance brightened slightly.

"I don't remember, but my gut is telling me it wasn't Rev," Harper offered, then looked at Trance again. "But he did, you know, the other day," he then doubted his own instincts.

"I've done some tests," Trance now spoke. "There are some inconsistencies with the scarring," she tentatively continued, not confident that Harper would want to hear her conclusion, but he seemed to be listening. "Those slashes across your chest, they were not consistent with those of a clawed hand, only if the four claws on each hand were exactly the same," she shrugged now, thinking she had lost Harper's attention, as he stared blankly at the overhead now.

"Can you help me up?" Harper asked. "I'm ok to just stretch my legs, right?"

"You appear fit, other than amnesia from the concussion, but we'll keep an eye on you I'm sure," Trance smiled, and she saw Harper found some comfort in that. "Just don't stress yourself with trying to remember, it will come back to you but not if you force it," she added.

"How long did I sleep for?" Harper asked, as Trance helped him to his feet.

"Just an hour or so," Trance revealed. "You need to try and stay awake for a while, to allow the concussion to settle before you try to sleep again."

"Will my memory return once it does?" Harper asked concerned.

"Hopefully, but the human brain has always been an unknown quality, we can never be sure," Trance offered. "I will need to examine you again, soon," she added.

Harper smirked at her words. "For you my purple princess, you can examine me whenever you want, hell even when I'm fit, which admittedly isn't often but always welcomed," he grinned wickedly.

"Seamus!" Trance mocked horror, as he quickly left her.

* * *

Beka and Dylan arrived to find only Trance in the makeshift infirmary, and they glanced around with confusion.

"Trance, its good practice in medicine to not lose your patients," Beka offered with a bemused smile.

"Harper is just stretching his legs," Trance returned innocently.

"How's he doing, obviously he's awake again," Beka asked.

"He seems to have suffered a concussion," Trance revealed. "He has amnesia about what exactly happened to him, which might be a good thing," she shrugged.

"It won't help us get to the bottom of this however," Dylan pointed out.

Beka sighed. "Did he say anything?"

Trance hesitated, and both Beka and Dylan saw it. "He mentioned that Rev didn't attack him, didn't cause those marks."

"You said he has amnesia," Beka countered.

"He does, he wasn't entirely sure but his gut told him that Rev didn't do it, but as I said he wasn't sure," Trance stated.

"Where is he now?" Beka asked.

"He wanted to stretch his legs," Trance repeated and saw Beka sigh heavily.

"First rule of treating Harper, never let him leave med without first putting him on a leash," Beka stated, already retreating to the door and gesturing to Dylan to follow her.

"I'm sure he's not far," Trance called after her, but Beka and Dylan had left, and were already searching the Maru for the engineer.

End of part 14


	15. Remembering

Part 15

Having found a fresh shirt, Harper was now walking along the space port and further away from the Maru. He felt tired, but Trance had told him to try and stay awake, so he justified his decision to leave the Maru with those orders. Absently he held himself around his ribs protecting his sore stomach, hugging his arms tightly as he tried to remember the facts, and hoping the drift might prompt the memories he had forgotten.

It was unsettling to Harper to have forgotten something, especially when he was supposed to be a genius. He took stock of his surroundings, having walked aimlessly for a while, and found that he was now walking over a bridge, and below he saw the energy conduits for the drift. On pure instinct he looked over the railings, and was suddenly hit with the image of Rev hanging, but as he blinked the image quickly disappeared and Harper quickly turned away and rested his back against the side of the bridge's railing, catching his breath.

"Rev?" Harper spoke more to himself, as he controlled his breathing the tried to make sense of the image he had seen in his mind.

"Harper!"

Harper glanced up with confusion before he saw Beka and Dylan heading towards him, and he meekly waved as they approached.

"It's a good thing you have that data port," Beka partially scolded.

"And kept it left on this time," Dylan added.

"I just wanted to stretch my legs," Harper shrugged with distraction sensing their mood, as he glanced around but there was nothing more that was jogging his memory.

"Why are you here?" Beka then asked seeing his distraction, and she looked around what appeared to be the maintenance end of the drift, that was rarely visited.

"I think Rev was here," Harper offered, turning around again to look down from the bridge.

"Seamus, lets get back to the ship," Beka encouraged softly.

"No," Harper objected. "I need to remember."

"Do you?" Beka questioned abruptly. "Come on, let's go."

Dylan observed the tense silence between Beka and Harper now, as Harper failed to answer or move on her instruction. "What do you think happened, Harper?" Dylan then asked to distract them both.

"I don't know," Harper was quick to answer. "But I don't think Rev attacked me, if that's what you think happened," he was looking at Beka now.

"And what do you base that on?" Beka questioned, hands on hips. "Those injuries you suffered are clue enough," she stressed.

Harper looked uneasy for a moment. "I wouldn't forget if he had done this," Harper then answered, looking away from her scrutiny.

"You have amnesia caused by concussion," Beka reminded him.

"So what I say doesn't matter anymore?" Harper snapped angrily, and pushed past Beka as he moved away.

Dylan saw the looked of shock on Beka's face to Harper's actions, and acted quickly to catch Harper up and stop him. "Whoa, hold on a second, Harper," Dylan ordered and was pleased to see the younger man stop. "Beka was just pointing out that right now you can not be positive that Rev didn't attack you."

Relaxing slightly, Harper now only showed frustration as he glanced around. "I don't remember what happened," he stressed with despair. "But I can't shift this gut feeling that something is wrong, ok?" he added with conviction, clutching his stomach now trying to hide the pain he felt. "Just over there I remembered something, I remembered seeing Rev hanging, Dylan, hanging by his ankle over the side of that bridge!" he revealed with emotion. "Just like with those kids," he added for emphasis.

Beka moved closer, seeing Harper in distress she put a reassuring arm around his shoulders, knowing he had to calm down. "So you think Rev is in trouble?" she reasoned.

"I don't know!" Harper snapped, but this time his anger was more aimed at himself, as he anxiously ran his hand through his hair.

Dylan was about to suggest they return to the ship for some food, when Harper looked up and began to walk again with purpose. Quickly, the captain stopped Beka with a simple gesture, before she could protest or try to prevent Harper from moving. Dylan encouraged her instead to just follow the engineer. They soon found themselves in an ally, and Harper stopped suddenly and they both noticed his breathing quickened.

"Seamus?" Beka prompted unsure.

"This is where," Harper began, and then he glanced around focusing on the street a few meters away.

"This is where what?" Dylan asked with confusion, seeing Harper distracted.

"Harper if this is too much just say, and we'll go," Beka encouraged with concern now, not knowing what Harper was remembering.

"Rev, and me," Harper finally offered, his eyes now giving away his own confusion. "We were captured here."

Both Dylan and Beka stared at each other, before Dylan spoke up. "Who captured you?"

"The locals, young guys, called yobs," Harper sat down on a box and rubbed his face, obviously remembering a lot more now.

"Yobs?" Beka picked up. "Tyr and Trance mentioned about that gang after their search around the drifts bars," she questioned to Dylan.

"They did," Dylan agreed. "The locals fear this gang to some degree," he remembered.

"That's how I got injured, that gang, the yobs did it," Harper then declared

Beka sat next to Harper now, not convinced. "Your injuries were caused by a Magog's claws, Harper," she reminded him with caution, knowing Harper was still confused.

"No, Beka," Harper dismissed. "A Magog claw, Trance was right," Harper stood up, and moved away from Beka. "I remember now, they cut the claw from Rev, and used it on me, they thought I was a Magog supporter," he stressed frantically. "Rev is missing," he reminded them. "He didn't hurt me, he saved me!"

Beka took a deep breath as she considered the information, still not looking convinced, as Dylan observed her reaction.

"If this is true, Harper," Dylan began cautiously. "Then we need to find Rev, can you help, do you remember anything else?"

Beka stood up, and her actions noticeably unsettled Harper for a moment, as he glanced at her with uncertainty. "I don't know," he offered, still staring at Beka.

Relaxing slightly, Beka sighed. "If Rev is in trouble then we should try to help," she conceded and immediately Harper seemed more comfortable, as he moved to the wall and placed his hand flat against it, before he leant forward so his forehead touched the wall.

Beka frowned towards Dylan. "Is this an Earth thing?" she whispered.

"You tell me, I've been out of touch for three hundred years, remember?" Dylan returned, equally unsure.

"I'm just trying to remember more, ok?" Harper spoke up, having heard their exchange. "I can't do that looking at you, looking at me like I might crack up, or have gone crazy."

"We're just concerned," Beka stated.

"Yeah, yeah, I know all about your concerns," Harper lightly complained now, his frustration showing once more. "Will he leave, who'll look after the ship, will he run away from the scary Magog and his nightmares, or is he mad from the knock to the head?" he prompted frantically, as he turned around. "Let me tell you something, I'm not going anywhere, ok?" he stressed. "So quit your worrying about me, and worry about Rev instead!" he demanded strongly, a light sheen covering his face now.

"Ok," Beka seemingly accepted, a little taken aback by Harper's words. "Well that's one thing I needed to hear, I admit," she added.

Harper shrugged. "Rev didn't hurt me, and what he did before," Harper glanced around. "It's nothing, it happened, and its history now," he stated.

"You didn't clarify the mad part though," Beka then added.

"Well I did get a knock to the head," Harper smirked. "And right now, I'm working on memories I don't actually remember, but I do," he frowned at his own confusion.

"What do you see?" Dylan now stepped forward.

"It's hot, and enclosed, the walls are made of sound proof like material because I remember the shouting," Harper offered before Beka cut him off.

"Shouting?" Beka asked.

"There were a lot of them, the yobs," Harper remembered. "And their shouting echoed, seems louder than it should be."

"So wherever this place was that the yobs took you, it was a large place," Dylan surmised.

"Why did this gang take you?" Beka then asked.

"They took me and Rev," Harper answered quickly, then moved once again with Beka and Dylan following. "The bridge," he exclaimed, as they left the ally and he stopped looking between the bridge and the ally. "Rev was hanging over the edge, and I pulled him up," he remembered. "All I was thinking was how freaking heavy Magog are, but I saved him."

"How did you know he was there?" Dylan asked, and it took Harper a moment to answer.

"The gang in the bar, the bar keeper, he told me all about the yobs, and what the gang had done," Harper smiled now in recovering some of his memories.

"Let's go talk to this bar keeper," Dylan decided and no one objected. "Are you ok to keep going?" he checked with Harper before moving.

"Doctors orders were to stay awake," Harper shrugged tiredly.

"Remind me later Harper that I really need to talk to you about tricking Trance like you did," Beka idly spoke as they began to walk. "Using that your stretching your legs routine stops now, and also whilst we at it, we'll talk about you visiting the bar when you're on medication," Beka stated. "Again," she sighed, it was a talk they had often had during the time she had known him.

With a shrug, Harper smirked and didn't respond to Beka, as he concentrated on remembering more about what happened that might help.

End of part 15


	16. Back to the Fight

Thankies for reading, appreciate your comments, hope you enjoy the rest not long to go now :)

Part 16

The bar was quieter than Harper had remembered, but he recognised the bar keeper immediately and hurried to him.

"You are not welcomed, you should leave," the bar keeper immediately spoke on spotting Harper approach.

"Why?" Harper asked with surprise, as Dylan and Beka stopped behind him.

"The yobs have been telling folks around here for the past couple of hours about the young fool who supports the Magog, and tries to protect them," the bar keeper pointed to a crudely drawn picture, that only partially resembled him. "Already since that has gone up three young blond men have been beaten by the locals, not the yobs, in mistaken identity."

"What gives these 'yobs' the authority to do these things?" Dylan now asked.

"We do not question those who have the ability to make our lives hell," the bar keeper simply responded.

"Mob rule," Beka remarked, with a look of disgust.

Harper strode purposely over to the poster and tore it down. "Now they won't know what to look for."

"You shouldn't have done that," the bar keep moved towards Harper, intending to retrieve the poster but Harper quickly ripped it up. "They are looking for you, they have been ripping this drift apart for the past hour." The bar keeper seemed nervous now. "You really shouldn't have done that, I told you to ignore them, warned you that they target people like you," he stressed.

Harper narrowed his eyes. "I thought you were warning me about them recruiting me when you said that," he offered, glancing at Beka and Dylan.

"Then you should have just taken my warning, instead of mistaking it," the bar keeper stressed. "Now leave."

"I can't, I need to find a friend," Harper stated.

"The Magog?" the bar keeper checked. "So the yobs were right?" he added when Harper didn't deny his question.

"Do you know where the Magog is?" Dylan now stepped forward to stand with Harper.

"Who are you people?" the bar keeper backed away now with horror. "Just get out of here already, leave me alone," he stressed. "If they find you here, they'll trash this place, I need this business, my family," he continued with panic.

"Ok, ok," Dylan gestured defensively. "We'll leave but just give us something, a location, anything, and we'll leave," Dylan added, and to emphasise his words he encouraged Harper, and then Beka to slowly start to back away towards the door but before the bar keeper could speak, the doors behind them swung open.

Harper, Dylan and Beka turned around quickly, as nearly twenty of the local youths rushed into the bar, surrounding the three of them.

"Well, well, look what we have here," a voice spoke up and Harper spun around recognising the youth, but not sure why.

"Piper," Harper remembered his name suddenly, and Piper just glared at him with intent. "These are the idiots that captured me and Rev, but I'm sure you'd figured that bit out already," Harper spoke quickly, and his panic was clear in his voice.

"Hey, maybe they know where Rev is?" Beka quipped, but her fear soon became apparent when the yobs started to close in.

Dylan prepped his force lance, and it only momentarily stopped them as Beka was grabbed before she could arm her own weapon.

"Dylan!" Harper gestured, seeing Beka being grabbed and a hand now roughly covered her mouth. Immediately the high guard captain relaxed the force lance, before it was snatched away.

"Let her go," Dylan ordered, still standing his ground, with Harper close by.

"Give us the fool, and we might," Rossi now stepped forward, Harper recognising him immediately, as he gestured to him.

"Why do you want him?" Dylan asked.

"We had so much fun with him last time, we miss him," Piper smirked, and his colleagues all laughed loudly now, trying to intimidate their catch.

Harper looked around at the faces, his memory still not completely returned but he suddenly had a bad feeling, similar to pain and he absently put his hand around his stomach protectively. "Do you have Rev, the magog?"

"Do you still feel inclined to help him, that Magog?" Barton now walked forward from the mass of youths, finally revealing himself and Harper instinctively tensed, and it didn't go unnoticed by Dylan, sensing the superiority from the new face.

Harper glanced at Beka who even in the yobs hold still seemed to be a little surprised by the remark the leader had made about him helping Rev, but was trying to hide it. "Yeah," he answered, whilst staying close to Dylan.

"Good," the leader declared. "Because right now, we don't know what to do, he has three of my men trapped."

"What?" Dylan checked.

"Rev?" Harper checked.

In their confusion Barton gestured to his men, and they easily secured Dylan and Harper who put up very little resistance. "It's been almost two hours now, and it's why we've been searching for you," Barton stated, checking his watch. "If my men die at the hand of that Magog, so will all of you," he added, as the yobs led the three of them away.

* * *

Memories crashed through Harper's mind as he was pushed into the main building of the energy compound, and he stumbled slightly. The goons holding him roughly steadied him, but he was remembering everything now and more about how these same goons had tried to get Rev to attack him, and how Rev had responded to their efforts and he panicked, almost feeling Rev's claws on him now.

"Harper?" Beka had seen Harper's sudden fearful reaction with concern.

"Quiet!" Barton snapped towards Beka, and Harper recovered his composure enough to signal to Beka that he was ok, although deep down the pit of his stomach couldn't shift the uneasy feeling he remembered of Rev responding to the smell of his blood.

Barton gestured for everyone to stop, and Harper saw the area ahead of them, an open circular walkway that seemed familiar. Then he was pushed forward to the railing, and he suddenly saw the room below him that they had trapped him in with Rev. He now stood where the goons had watched and taunted them; had thrown stuff upon him. Looking down he saw Rev, but focused on the gang members who looked terrified and unmoving, Rev stood between them and the exit and Harper could see it was their fear, rather than Rev, preventing them leaving.

Harper clutched the railing as he continued looking down below, and soon the memories returned as clear as day, so lost in his mind however Harper failed to hear Barton speaking, until he felt himself being roughly pulled around to face Barton.

"You will go down there, and distract your friend so my men can escape," Barton instructed, and it sounded like he was repeating himself.

"Ok," Harper stated, snapping his attention back to the present, and he glanced over his shoulder back to the room below, seeing Rev in a meditating pose quietly chanting. "No problem," he added shakily, though fairly confident that Rev had some focus for the moment, enough not to be a threat.

"Let me go and talk to Rev," Dylan now spoke up.

Barton slowly turned to the high guard captain. "Did I ask you?"

"I am the Magog's captain, if anyone should go down there it's me," Dylan stated, but then Beka stepped forward.

"I've known Rev the longest, old family friend, it should be me if he truly is a threat to your men," Beka announced.

"I said I'd go," Harper protested lightly.

Barton only appeared amused by the requests. "I have no idea who you guys are," he gestured to Beka and Dylan. "I wasn't even looking for you, I was looking for this guy," he put his arm around Harper.

"Get off me!" Harper snapped, and shrugged Barton away but the gang leader grabbed hold of him and lifted him up, pushing him back against the railing, so much so that Harper's head now hung over the edge. Rossi and Piper were now stood either side of Barton, preventing Harper from retaliating, as they secured him arms.

Harper grimaced, feeling his lower back painfully pressed into the safety railing and nothing but air beneath his shoulders and head. "I said I'd help!" Harper managed through his initial panic.

"I heard you," Barton confirmed with a grin, and before Harper could respond he felt his shirt being tugged, and then ripping away to reveal the dressings that Trance had put over his injuries. Barton soon roughly ripped the medical dressings away to show the now almost healed marks that Barton had inflicted on Harper.

"Hey!" Beka protested, and attempted to move forward but was restrained.

"Harper has said he will help there is no need for this!" Dylan supported Beka's protest.

"Gag them both, they distract me," Barton ordered not even looking at them, and both Beka and Dylan soon found some crude tape being placed over their mouths, and Harper just stared as best he could at the concerned expressions on the two captains' faces.

Harper then panicked as he felt Barton lift him up again, and he found himself perilously hanging over the edge of the railing now. His hands were free, as Rossi and Piper released him and he desperately reached for the railing, as Barton threatened to throw him over the edge. In his fear, Harper could hear the muffled protests from Beka and Dylan, and daring to look down at the hard floor below that he was in no doubt now he'd soon get to know better. Before Harper knew what was happening he felt the sudden rush of air, and then the inevitable sudden impact of the same ground as he landed heavily upon it, his right shoulder and hip taking the impact and his head whip lashed forward connecting with the ground under his own momentum of the fall.

End of part 16


	17. Focus is everything

Part 17

_Before Harper knew what was happening he felt the sudden rush of air, and then the inevitable sudden impact of the same ground as he landed heavily upon it, his right shoulder and hip taking the impact and his head whip lashed forward connecting with the ground under his own momentum of the fall._

* * *

It was hard to breathe, as Harper groaned in a daze and then rolled shakily onto his back, showing all of those still watching from the balcony above that he had survived the fall. Focusing with some effort ignoring the slight double vision he now had, Harper saw the wide eyes of Beka and Dylan looking down; they had been pushed forward against the railing to observe whatever else was planned for him now. In defiance, Harper smirked, but inside he felt groggy and pain, but he was unable to determine exactly where it hurt, it just hurt all over now.

Harper began to test his mobility, but soon heard a gruff voice nearby. "Don't move, Harper."

"Rev," Harper responded, remembering where he was suddenly. "Let Barton's guys go," he then shakily added, still trying to completely focus.

"They are not my prisoners, Harper," Rev then revealed. "I am their prisoner."

"What?" Harper checked, and looked upwards to a grinning Barton. "But he said, he asked me to help."

"It must have been a trick," Rev came into Harper's line of vision. "I'm sorry, Harper, I never realised you were up there, that they had recaptured you, and captured Dylan and Beka as well," he gestured to where Beka and Dylan now looked down on them. "I was simply passing the time in deep meditation, in the hope the gang would get bored."

"Don't stress yourself, Rev," Harper grimaced, and attempted to move but Rev stopped him.

"Harper, you are hurt," Rev spoke up, and Harper felt the warm flow of blood escaping his mouth and nose, plus from a cut somewhere on his head where he had made contact with the ground, the exact location of his pains was proving hard to pinpoint.

"Gee, you think?" Harper grimaced, but then screamed out as the three gang members took hold of him, and pulled him up to a sitting position, the pain reverberated inside of him like electric shocks, with every movement they forced him to make.

Rev showed his teeth in reaction to the yobs actions, his stance showed anger as he took on an attack posture.

"Remember your promise, Magog," Barton yelled.

"My promises are only bound with honest men, and you are not one," Rev returned. "This is my friend, and you are risking his health and life with your actions, you are forcing me to act."

"The same friend you also crave," Barton spoke knowingly. "We all saw it before, and then when we found you, your chants were to give you strength against your instincts, the instincts that were telling you to attack your friend!"

"That's not true," Rev returned loudly, seeing Harper in extreme pain as they kept him hanging, almost slumped now in their hold.

One of the goons holding Harper used a piece of cloth to gather more of his blood, and Rev immediately backed away. The goon approached, as close as he dared to a Magog, and then threw the bloodied cloth.

"What do you want from me?" Rev now demanded, ignoring the cloth that landed on the ground before him, and glaring at those around him.

"Pick the cloth up," Barton now requested, but Rev made no attempts to move as he glared up at the leader. "I said pick it up!" Barton yelled now, and then gestured to the goons holding Harper, the sound of the human screaming out soon followed as the goons casually roughed him up causing Harper distress. Rev reached down and picked the cloth up, holding his clawed hand in a defensive manner seeing Harper's pain.

Preparing to play along, Rev held the cloth but when he saw that they were still hurting Harper simply by still moving him in their hold, something inside of Rev told him to fight, and his strength of faith could no longer hold him back. It was only whilst glancing up and seeing Beka and Dylan were also at the mercy of the goons, that he attempted to remain focused, but the instinct was growing inside and attempting to take control. Rev glanced down at the cloth, realising the scent was a part of his growing unrest and he discarded it quickly.

A sudden explosion finally distracted Rev and he heard movement above, Barton had moved away from the railing, and there was shouting mixed with the sound of fighting. The three goons holding Harper were focused on what was happening above, and when Rev finally saw Tyr and Rommie fighting up above, and releasing Beka and Dylan, he quickly moved forward.

The youths eyes were wide, as they pushed Harper away to the ground, but Rev only momentarily checked the now groaning Harper as he proceeded towards the men that had caused his friend additional pain.

"Rev, no!" Beka's voice now yelled from above. "Rev!"

Without pausing Rev reached the first goon, frozen in fear and his venom hit the boy across the face, within a few moments the other two goons joined their friend as the paralysing spray incapacitated them, before they collapsed to the ground.

"Rev, please," Beka pleaded now, unable to reach the Magog and fearing what she was seeing, even with the commotion still ongoing around her as Tyr, Rommie and Dylan secured the goons.

Breathing heavily, Rev now fought his more primal instincts and moved away from the fallen gang members, now paralysed and in fear of their lives. He turned to see Harper racked with pain, withering on the ground. Rev slowly approached him, seeing and smelling the human's pain, the sensations were reactivating those earlier thoughts and Rev closed his eyes.

"Rev," Beka called out once more, her voice shaky, she had heard what Barton had said and she still couldn't shake the thought that Rev wanted to hurt Harper, and as he approached him now, her fear grew. "Please, Rev, step away, wait for us we'll be down, please Rev, meditate, fight this!" she spoke, in the hope her voice would break through, but the Magog was now stood over Harper, and his silence concerned the blonde captain.

Rev knelt down, knowing Harper wasn't yet aware that he was there, and the human seemed only vaguely aware of what was happened around him. Reaching out, Rev placed a clawed hand on Harper's chest and the human instinctively froze with his touch, finally focusing enough to look at Rev, and the Magog felt the boy's heart beat increase, and the fear engulfed his senses.

"Rev?" Harper spoke in almost a whisper, doubt in his voice at the way Rev was staring at him without moving. "Help me," Harper was barely heard now, as his face for the moment creased up in pain, and blood continued to escape him.

Harper shifted seeing that Rev was staring at the fresh blood about his person, but the pain prevented him moving far, and the Magog still had a hand on his chest, the claws touching his skin. Taking some controlled breaths, Harper willed unconsciousness but for the first time it seemed it was the last thing he could achieve, as he stared at Rev now.

Then Harper saw it, and he instinctively screamed as Rev's head went back, showing his teeth and soon after Harper felt the venom splatter upon him.

"Rev no!" Beka frantically yelled now, and it took all of Tyr's strength to stop her climbing over the rail and falling to the room below to help her friend, but Rev wasn't aware of her actions, or heard her voice, as his focused remained solely on Harper.

Quickly all sense and feeling left Harper, and with it the pain and it dawned on Harper what Rev was doing, at least what remained his last hope that Rev was doing. The Magog gathered the human into his own hold, and there was nothing Harper could do to stop Rev, as he remained staring at the Magog with uncertainty. Slowly Harper continued to lose all feeling and a fresh panic arose as he remembered what had happened before, when his vital organs had failed but no one could see his fresh panic, as he became more trapped by paralysis within his own body.

Rev closed his eyes, and unknown to Harper the Magog was flexing his clawed hand just inches from the boy's body, fighting an inner battle of control. With his already fevered thoughts disrupting his control, and the temptations that had threatened to overwhelm him, Rev was fighting his toughest battle ever. Harper had always been a threat to him, with his enhanced natural fear and emotions that attracted Rev's kind, and made human's easy prey for the creatures, but now that threat was being realised as Rev held the prone human, paralysed by his own venom, and with his own friends already doubting him, Rev had little to lose.

End of part 17


	18. Finding the Way

Part 18

"Rev!" Beka screamed as the doors opened wide with the combined efforts of Dylan, Tyr and Rommie. She rushed forward seeing Harper slumped lying unnaturally in Rev's hold, and she knew the paralysis had taken Harper. "Rev," she spoke calmly now. "Tell me that Harper is still breathing, please, just check, remember your venom."

Tyr moved past Beka to enter the room, and headed towards the three other fallen paralysed goons. Beka awaited an answer but Rev didn't move and only gave a low growl in response. "Rev, please," Beka tentatively moved towards the reverend. "This is Harper, your friend, he needs help," she stressed with concern, seeing just by sight that Harper was in a bad way.

"These people," Tyr spoke up gesturing to the goons laid on the floor. "They are still breathing, alive," Tyr informed Beka casually, and with somewhat bored air.

"Your venom isn't affected by the virus anymore," Beka realised with hope, looking back at Rev. "Rev, you're getting better, you just have to fight your own instincts now," she stressed.

Beka froze as Rev's claws moved across Harper's torso, Tyr and Dylan could only look on uncertain, but Beka moved forward once more, closer to Rev. "Rev, I'm sorry I doubted you," she spoke sincerely. "But Harper trusts you, he told me you didn't hurt him, please, Rev, speak to me," Beka finally reached out and placed her hand on Rev's arm.

"Rebecca," Rev quietly spoke, and then paused with effort. "We should hurry, young Harper has internal injuries, and he is still losing blood," Rev revealed, and took another deep breath.

"Tyr, Dylan, take Harper, and be careful not to move him too much," Beka spoke with urgency now, but her eyes were locked on Rev. "Come with me," Beka requested as both Tyr and Dylan gently removed Harper from Rev's hold.

With consideration, Rev slowly got to his feet and with Beka's encouragement he walked beside her as they moved towards the exit. Rev then stopped, and turned to the fallen youths he had paralysed. "We should check on them," Rev motioned.

"Tyr said they were breathing, in an hour or so they'll be fine," Beka assured him. "I'm more concerned about you," she added with care.

Rev seemed preoccupied now with what had happened around him, as he looked upwards. "And how are the others, Barton?" Rev looked upwards.

"I have a feeling you don't want to know," Beka tried to sound diplomatic.

"I am sure this drift will appreciate whatever actions you took against this gang," Rev simply spoke, bowing his head as he continued towards the exit.

"How are you feeling?" Beka asked.

"Health wise, I do believe the fever has finally passed," Rev stated.

"That's why you used your venom on those boys, and Harper," Beka needed to know Rev's motives, as she stared at him now.

"It was a risk, but one I had trust in," Rev agreed. "Beka, I can not pretend that I wasn't tempted."

Beka took a deep breath now, and looked away from Rev. "I know, I saw."

"My primal instincts have grown strong in me," Rev continued.

"The illness has woken them up, that is all," Beka reassured her friend. "And it can't have helped, with the lack of faith I showed, you deserve more from me."

"Rebecca I owe you so much, that I expect nothing more from you," Rev stated as fact. "As a member of your crew I am not beyond your strict codes of discipline, and I know my actions against young Harper go against your codes."

Beka sighed heavily, before smiling. "Rev, you're more than just my crew, you're almost family," she looked at Rev now. "And you needed me, and I wasn't there for you," Beka then looked away as her doubt returned. "But I've always trusted you, and I've always had this security of knowing you would never harm me, or those I place around me."

"I know," Rev could only answer.

"When you first arrived on the Maru, I was but a child who knew nothing of your kind," Beka fondly remembered now. "To me you were like a big teddy bear that Daddy had invited to stay, I wasn't put off by your teeth or claws, it just made you more interesting to me, the kid who loved horror stories," she grinned.

"Your childlike acceptance of me was refreshing," Rev remembered now, as they walked slowly back to the Maru, the others now far ahead of them both. "A lot like when young Trance appeared on board, she too quickly accepted me."

Beka only nodded her head now, but she lost her smile. "But Harper, he didn't have the advantage of ignorance or child innocence." Rev was quiet now with Beka's words. "It sounds crazy but I feel like I'm only really figuring that out now, I mean I knew he came from hell and your kind played a large part in that, but I never realised how out of touch I was, at least when it came to Harper."

"Harper has been a challenge for me since the day Bobby brought the boy on board," Rev now revealed.

"And his seemingly quick acceptance of you didn't help?" Beka guessed, as she looked at Rev for his response.

"It would have been better for the both of us if he had turned around screaming, never to be seen again when he first met me," Rev considered. "But then I would have missed out on the opportunity of working alongside such a brilliant mind, as Harper's is."

"When I saw Harper dying in my arms by your actions," Beka now began with hesitation, before finding the strength to continue. "It broke my heart, it was like the fantasy I knew was being ripped to shreds, and for the first time Rev, I saw you as the monster that other people see when they first meet you," she stated, and Rev could only listen now. "I realised in that instant what I had been asking of people, if they wanted to serve on the Maru."

"Beka, I always valued your trust more than anything else, and if I have lost that then I have lost the most precious thing I owned," Rev spoke with sadness.

"No Rev," Beka corrected him. "Maybe I didn't see it before but I still trust you, deep down, and even though illness tried to take you, you showed your strength and no one got hurt by your actions," Beka stated firmly, then paused before continuing. "You've just shown me stuff that I wasn't ready to accept, the possibilities," she added.

Rev slowly shook his head. "Rebecca, you should know that I had very real thoughts, desires, towards the human, towards Harper," he cautiously spoke. "And right up until the moment you placed your hand on my arm, I was contemplating giving into my more natural instincts," he revealed with regret clear in his voice.

Beka put an arm around the Magog's shoulders as they walked, instinctively keeping to the shadows to avoid being seen. "Rev, are you secretly in love with Harper?" she asked with seriousness, but her face soon broke into a smile.

"Beka!" Rev scolded her mocking. "Magog do not love in that way, my feelings for Harper are purely sadistic and cruel, as my heritage dictates," he quickly added to defend his pride, soon relaxing and joining her teasing. "But the truth is that the human is tempting to my instincts, and will always be my greatest test of willpower."

"You so much as scratch him, Rev," Beka now warned.

"Fear not," Rev assured her now. "I wish the boy no harm, not now I am back in full control of my hunger and instincts."

"Just be sure that the next time things go a little screwy, you get the hell away, that's an order," Beka lightly scolded him now, partially hugging him as they walked. "Don't ask me why I'm only just realising it, but Harper means a lot to me and I don't want him eaten, ok?"

"Understood," Rev confirmed. "I will do all I can to ensure that I never eat him, Beka, and I will strive to protect him from such a fate, and do all that is asked of me to win back your trust in me."

"Well right now I do believe Trance might need your help, Harper looks in bad shape," Beka now quickened her pace. "That's all I ask of you, for now, we'll deal with everything else later."

"He took quite a fall from that walkway, I fear he has done himself quite a bit of damage," Rev agreed, and they both hurried towards the space port.

To be concluded.


	19. Making Peace

FINAL PART! Woo hoo – Thanks for all the reviews and support!

Part 19

Dylan saw Beka was alone on the observation deck, and slowly approached seeing her look up as he got closer.

"Mind if I join you?" Dylan asked cautiously.

"Sure," Beka gestured to her side, as she looked out to the stars.

There was silence for a moment before Dylan spoke again. "Harper should be back on his feet in a couple of weeks at least, Rev has done a sterling job, with the help of Trance to save him."

"He had us all worried for a time," Beka agreed. "But Harper always manages to pull through," she added with a forced smile.

"There was a time a broken neck would have left him paralysed," Dylan idly noted. "And the internal bleeding and injuries he suffered would have killed him first."

"Well I'm grateful I don't live in those times," Beka stated, and then sighed. "But just think if Harper had suffered the same injuries on Earth, his home."

"Then he would most likely be dead now," Dylan conceded.

"Should I be feeling extra special now that I saved him from that?" Beka turned to Dylan now, facing him with her question.

Dylan considered her words, noting the weight behind her question. "I think in some sense you should, you recognised his talent, and you gave him a chance."

"Or maybe he gave me one," Beka reasoned. "He would have got off of Earth eventually, even without the port he was still a quick learner, an asset on any ship."

"Beka, what is your point exactly?" Dylan now asked with confusion, but some interest to.

"Why did he stay?" Beka asked. "When I was blind to the facts in asking him to work with a Magog, why did he stay?"

"Maybe because he saw that to you it wasn't a big deal?" Dylan suggested. "You were probably the first person he had ever met that didn't want to kill a Magog, that treated a Magog as an equal without prejudice," Dylan reasoned. "Exactly how he most probably wanted to be treated, after the life he had lead under Dragan rule."

Beka considered his words, and then returned her attention to the stars. "I'd never considered that," she admitted.

"Beka, you are a truly amazing person, and I've known that from the start just by looking at your crew," Dylan continued. "All of which, in their own way, would probably have had to work a hell of a lot harder with any other captain to be accepted like you accepted them."

"What about you?" Beka countered.

"I trusted my first officer's judgement, correctly," Dylan smiled.

Beka smirked. "We should still keep an extra close eye on Rev, his words and admissions about Harper still concern me."

"Will you tell Harper?" Dylan asked, having heard Beka's earlier concerns about Revs confession regarding his willpower around Harper.

"No," Beka stated confidently. "There are some things in life Harper really doesn't need to know."

"Will Rev tell him?" Dylan asked.

"If he does, it's the way Harper should find out," Beka conceded. "But I don't think it will change anything," she added.

"You don't?" Dylan checked.

Beka could only shrug now, as she looked out across the stars. "I wouldn't be surprised if Harper's always known, and in some way has used that power over Rev to find the strength to work with him."

"That works," Dylan showed surprise in the conclusion. "So, you don't mind Harper just getting on with things now, with no big deal?" he ventured.

"I can't change Harper's ways, no more than I can change Rev's, but I can do what I always do, and that's keep them both in line to make sure they stay in line," Beka grinned. "Things will be back to normal in no time," Beka then decided, with brightness as she turned and headed towards the exit. "And we can get back to this nonsense mission about creating a new commonwealth or something?" she mocked before leaving, as Dylan could only smirk at her words.

* * *

The music was loud, and filled the entire room but the occupant barely seemed to notice, his eyes closed and lost in another world altogether. Around him he saw sea, sand and beautiful partially clothed women enjoying the sun and fresh air.

Not looking out of place, Andromeda appeared in Harper's line of vision and flickered, reminding him of his virtual escape as he focused on her.

"Harper, you have a visitor, in the real world," Andromeda revealed, the music now but a distant hum.

"Who?" Harper asked, holding a glass of constantly cold beer in one hand and a good comic book in the other.

"Rev," Andromeda revealed without saying anything more.

Harper looked out to the simulated ocean, inside Rommie's matrix, where he had built himself a temporary escape whilst he was forced to recuperate. The thought of staring at the four walls of his quarters hardly appealed when he had the expanse of Andromeda's matrix to play in, via his port. Finally Harper appeared to sigh, and he nodded his head.

"I could tell him you are resting," Andromeda offered.

"No, it cool," Harper was about to disconnect when he caught a strange look in Andromeda's eyes. "Everything ok, is there more?" he checked.

"There's no more," Rommie confirmed.

"You sure?" Harper pushed, not convinced and wondering if there was some system check she was hoping he'd do, or other maintenance. "I know officially I'm off duty for a while, but for you babe I'm willing to break the rules."

"No, Harper, you need to rest, and my systems are operating within their required parameters," Andromeda revealed. "I am," she now hesitated, before continuing. "Happy that you are recovering well."

Harper smiled now. "Rom doll, you didn't think I'd leave you did you?" he questioned. "Especially over a Magog," he added. "Babe, I keep telling you that I love you, I'm not leaving till you make my dreams come true," he suggested with a cheeky smile.

"You are definitely recovering, Mr Harper," Andromeda noted, wising up to her engineer quickly. "But I am glad that you are staying, even if I will be forced to listen to your continued overtures of affection for me."

"You make it sound so romantic," Harper complained with a smile.

"Rev is still waiting," Rommie reminded him.

"Ok, I'll be right there, and thanks, your appreciation is appreciated," Harper acknowledged fondly, before closing his virtual eyes, and all too soon he was pushed back into his own consciousness and back his quarters, lying down on his bunk surrounded by cushions and bed linen. "Rev, sorry for the delay, Rommie wouldn't let me leave before I kissed her goodnight," Harper teased as he disconnected the jack, on seeing the Magog stood at the door.

"I did no such thing," Andromeda returned from the view screen in Harper's quarters, and quickly blinked out of sight to a blank screen.

"Hey Rommie, kill the music before you go, and Rev come in," he gestured, as he slowly and tentatively sat up with some effort, and the music instantly stopped.

"Are you still in pain?" Rev asked, as he found himself a seat and seeming grateful for the peace now.

"Not really, just a little cramped up," Harper attempted a reassuring smile, as he stretched his arms and back.

"I am just," Rev hesitated in finding the correct words.

"Checking up on me," Harper finished for him knowingly. "I'm being good, you told me to rest, and I'm resting, see?" he gestured to his bed and his general relaxed state.

Rev nodded his head, satisfied by Harper's statement. "I did fear you might try to do too much, too soon."

Harper noticeably frowned. "Any other time, maybe," he shrugged. "But I broke my freaking neck, plus more," he simply said, showing some fear to that diagnosis. "So I'm sitting still for long periods of time on this hard surface, surrounded by a mountain of cushions, and other comforts, for as long as you say I have to, ok?"

"Physically you have fully recovered from all your injuries, your broken vertebrae are as strong as ever, and the internal damage has healed satisfactorily, you are once again able to support your frame," Rev pointed out. "There is no need for great concern," he added.

"Still," Harper frowned "Best not to take any chances," he offered, clearly shaken by the experience. "Rev, Trance told me that by you paralysing me when you did, that it might have saved my life, it prevented my body going into shock and with the broken bones and other damage inside, it could have been fatal," he quickly explained it how he understood it. "I just wanted to say thanks," he briefly smiled.

"My concern was high, and I feared your health was at risk," Rev bowed his head slightly. "Our captors shouldn't have moved you after falling from such a height, and I had to ease your suffering."

Harper was clearly troubled by something, as he appeared suddenly uncomfortable. "Rev," he finally spoke, knowing he already had the Magog's full attention. "You were going to though, you know, weren't you?" he said with uncertainty, and avoiding looking at Rev as he spoke.

Rev lets a low growl of regret sound before responding. "I can not lie to you, Harper."

Harper closed his eyes to the truth. "I knew it," he simply answered.

"Harper, I was weak," Rev began to try and explain, but Harper soon gestured to him to stop.

"No, it's ok," Harper was quick to respond. "I spoke with Beka earlier, she didn't say anything directly but she said enough for me to figure something out."

"She did?" Rev asked.

"That maybe I'm not exactly easy to work around either," Harper shrugged. "That maybe it's no coincidence that Magog are attracted to places like Earth, and go for us puny humans before they attack the ubers," he continued.

"Real Human's offer a certain variety, and appeal to my kind," Rev was forced to admit. "Genuine humans, the unmodified kind."

Harper forced a grin. "Now I'm all for modification," he mocked. "Is that why I didn't see a lot of you at first?" Harper then asked with more serious tones. "When I first arrived on the Maru?"

"In part, yes," Rev agreed.

"But also in part, you were trying to make me feel more comfortable?" Harper figured.

"Yes," Rev answered again.

Harper slowly got to his feet with some care, his usual pace and abrupt movements were absent as he walked slowly across his quarters to retrieve a can of Sparky. "Tyr clipped me around the ear this morning, when he caught me fixing a faulty monitor in the corridor," Harper smiled now, rapidly changing the subject. "Things are returning to normal, I guess."

"Tyr should know better than to hit you at this time, especially around the head so soon after what happened," Rev scolded, but then lightened on seeing the strange amusement on Harper's face. "And you told me you were resting, not working."

"It was on my way to the mess," Harper protested lightly. "Besides, Tyr stopped me working in his own sweet way, so don't worry," Harper shrugged. "And he didn't hit me hard, even he's going gentle on me," he added with amusement.

"The extent of your injuries caused great concern," Rev then revealed by way of conversation. "And they no longer fear that you have desires to leave."

"Good," Harper simply answered. "Do they still fear us though?" he asked, looking around as if feeling they were being monitored, that maybe the crew were keeping tabs on Rev being in such close proximity to him.

"They seem assured that we no longer wish each other harm," Rev answered.

Harper smiled. "Like I could ever hurt you," he smirked now.

"Do not think me so ignorant that I wouldn't know that you have killed my kind in the past," Rev spoke with caution. "That you are more than capable of such acts."

Harper smirked in an uneasy manner, clearly wanting to deny Rev's words, but unable to. "Difference is that now I don't have twenty odd kludges watching my back like the old days, I never killed alone, Rev, no one did if they wanted to live," he remembered, and lost himself to his thoughts for a moment.

"That gang on the drift were not like the ones you may have been a part of on Earth, they acted on word of mouth alone, not for survival," Rev spoke with care, sensing Harper's concern. "They were fools, and mindless bullies especially for what they did to you," he stressed.

"I know," Harper sighed. "But they treated you just the same as those gangs on Earth did, that I was once a part of."

"And should a Magog come screaming up to you tomorrow, with intent to kill, then Master Harper I would expect you to do everything in your power to save yourself from that fate," Rev now spoke, as he rose to his feet, with determination. "You may have a friend in me, Harper, but I am but one, I am not an entire race."

Harper slowly nodded his head. "Right, see a Magog, if he doesn't answer to Rev, run like hell, right?" he smirked.

"That would be a good start," Rev agreed with amusement. "And should I ever threaten you again, do not hesitate to act as you see fit," Rev declared.

"Ok," Harper said a little warily. "Well I'm just glad I'm free of Earth and those Magog raids," Harper then announced, but caught the look that Rev now gave him. "I'm never going back, Rev, those days are over, hopefully you'll be the only Magog I have to deal with now till my dying day."

"Harper, my kind are all over this universe, not just Earth," Rev reminded him.

"Yeah, but it's hardly as if the Andromeda will run into them, I know Dylan wants all kinds joining the Commonwealth but I don't see Magog high on that list," Harper mocked. "So far we've done everything we can to avoid them, and I'm going to make sure that stays the same," he said with conviction.

"No one can predict the future," Rev lightly warned. "But you have my promise that should anything happen, involving my kind, I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety."

Harper smirked at Rev's promise. "Rev, we're cool, don't think you have to make these grand gestures to me, because of what happened, you saved my life already, everything else is forgotten," he assured him, as he finished his Sparky.

"You saved mine too," Rev remembered.

"Then we're even," Harper declared. "But thanks, maybe it's not such a bad thing to have a Magog watching your back, so long as that is all your doing, and for reasons of protection," Harper quickly added, then grinned.

"For protection," Rev confirmed. "Although I can not promise that I may have idle glances for other reasons, when I may feel like a snack," he then added with a Magog smile.

"Rev!" Harper lightly snapped. "You make that sound so," he grimaced. "Wrong," he finally spoke with disgust, as he returned to his cot wearing a smile once again.

"I will leave you to rest now," Rev bowed, still smiling at Harper's discomfort having found their common ground once more, before he left the room. Harper carefully sat back down again with care, enjoying some more precious and rare time without any stress of work, and being able to finally appreciate all the luxuries of his new home, as he closed his eyes and jacked back into Rommie's matrix.

The end


End file.
